Cheaters Never Win
by cindygirl
Summary: A long ago prophecy, two hearts lost, get another chance to be with each other. But first they must get rid of all those that oppose the union. Kagome finds that not only was she reincarnated but she finds that the people closest to her lie, cheat, and steal, to get what they want. Will they ever get together to make the prophecy come true. Sess/Kag
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not, I repeat do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated with Inuyasha. I write for pure enjoyment and gain no profit from writing or publishing these stories. These stories are completely fictional.

Cheaters Never Win Chapter 1

The wind was howling against the skyscrapers in Tokyo, while snow fell from the darkened sky. The blizzardy weather condition was making its way into the city.

The seas of pedestrians, covered in their winter garments, were steadily moving about despite the challenges from the ice and snowed covered sidewalks.

Kagome Higurashi was no different. Being one of those people that caught colds easily, she was wearing a big heavy coat that was almost too big for her small frame. A hat covered her head that came down to her ears, though not fashionable, it did keep her ears very warm. A scarf was wrapped around her neck, making sure that she covered her nose and mouth.

On her way home she stopped by the market to pick up a few things for dinner. She was going to cook for her fiancé once he got off from work. She picked up some fresh ramein along with some chicken, pork, and vegetables; it was after all his favorite.

She has been engaged now for almost a year. Their wedding was rapidly approaching, as she wanted to have a Christmas wedding. Her mother told her that she was crazy for having it in the middle of winter, and that it was ludicrous to have it in the gardens next to the Goshinboku.

Kagome explained to her mother what she envisioned for her wedding. She has been dreaming of this day for years, ever since she was a little girl.

She wanted an outdoor wedding with the snow as the backdrop. She wanted it just after sundown, as the full moon came into view in the sky. The moons rays will shine brightly down on Goshinboku, as she took her vows with the one she loved.

Her wedding was not going to be very big, just immediate family will be present. She wanted a quiet ceremony, as her grandfather married them under the tree. She hoped that the day she selected, a blizzard would not mar her day. But this is what she pictured as her perfect wedding for as long as she could remember.

Kagome shivered as she made her way to her apartment. She lived in a fairly nice part of the city. She was the marketing president for one of the biggest firms here in Tokyo. She started off as an entry-level marketing manager and worked her way up. Her knowledge on how to market their products has made the company huge profits. She continued to be promoted until she was made the Marketing President for the company at the tender age of 24, an achievement not reached by many.

She met her fiancé at the company when she first started working there. They started dating and then three years later he asked if she would be his mate. She happily accepted her hanyou's offer and the date was set for their wedding.

Kagome shivered as she approached her apartment building. She quickly entered as she made her way over to the elevator, punching the number for the 5th floor as she rode the elevator up in silence.

Finally the elevator dinged as the doors opened and she stepped out. She walked to her door as she opened it and then turned on the lights inside her apartment. It was a fairly large apartment, but not too big that she would feel lonely in such a large place. She had a good size living room and a large master bedroom. Her kitchen was just perfect for her to cook in when she desired.

Her salary was enough to allow her to live in such a grand place and still help her mother keep the shrine running. Her mother went without in order for her to reach her goals. It was only fair, that she repay her mother, by keeping her home safe from the banks that threatened to take everything she held dear.

She dropped her keys and purse on the table near the door as she made her way to the kitchen, setting her bags of groceries on the counter. She took off her huge coat as her black business suit fell into place. She smoothed over the wrinkles on her jacket as she made her way to the bedroom to get comfortable.

Trading her business suit for a nice comfortable sweat suit she then proceeded to go into the kitchen to cook her dinner.

She was almost done cooking her meal when her phone rang. She picked it up, saying, "Moshimoshi, this is Kagome speaking."

On the other end she heard, "Hi Kagome, look I won't be able to come by tonight, I have some last minute things I have to do at work for the boss. He wants these proposals on his desk by tomorrow morning and I have to get them done."

"But Inuyasha, I'm cooking your favorite meal. Why don't you come by and eat, then you can go back or better yet you can bring the proposals with you and I can help you put them together. That way I will be able to see you. We haven't been spending any time together." Kagome huffed into the phone. Lately Inuyasha was avoiding her for some reason and she was beginning to have doubts that he wanted to be with her.

She knew that their work schedules interfered with each other's lives, but still he could make time to be with her. She has so far, made every effort to reschedule her life so she could spend time with him, but he was not willing to do the same for her.

There was silence on the other end of the phone as she heard him say, "I wish I could Kagome but I have others here that are involved in this proposal as well, so there is no way I can come to your apartment. Look, I promise to make it up to you, ok?"

Kagome sighed, she really wanted to spend time with him alone, but here lately, it seemed, at least to her, that he was working a lot, late into the night. "Fine, but remember you promised me that we would go over to Mama's house for Thanks Giving dinner, she is expecting us."

"Fine Kagome, but I have to go now. Love you and I'll see you tomorrow." There was a click on the other end, as the line went dead.

Kagome put the phone down as she sighed. She had a whole pot of ramein and she was the only one that was going to eat it. Oh well, she guessed she was going to have ramein for the next few days. She took a bowl and served herself some dinner as she sat in front of her television to watch the news.

Once Kagome was done eating her mind started to wonder on what was wrong with her hanyou. In the beginning they had a lot of fun together. They would do things together and go out with their friends just to have fun.

Once he asked her to be his mate, he wanted to consummate their relationship. She flat out refused him saying that she was going to save herself until the day she married him. She wanted to prove to him that there was no one else in her life but him. Once they were married, then he could have her heart, mind, body, and soul, for all eternity.

He seemed to be all right with her decision at first, but here in the last few months he has been pushing her to give up her virginity to him. She still held out for when they were married, since the wedding was less than five weeks away. Surely he could wait that long for her.

Then he started working late and they were spending more time apart than together. She wondered if she made a mistake in making him wait. Several people have approached her, saying that they have seen Inuyasha with another woman in various clubs. She denied their allegations by saying that he would never cheat on her. He knew what would happen if he was ever unfaithful to her. She could never marry someone who will not keep their loyalty.

She sighed she didn't know what was going through her hanyou's mind. She went and got a half-gallon of vanilla ice cream out of her freezer, poured some strawberry syrup over it, added some whip cream, and sat in front of her television watching a romance movie. It's what she did when she was feeling depressed and lonely.

Hours later she heard banging on her door. She got up from the sofa as she wiped the tears away from her eyes saying, "Stupid John! Didn't he know that Mary loved him! Why did he have to cheat on her?"

She opened the door, and to her surprise, there stood her best friend Sango along with Miroku, Ayame, and Koga. She let them into her apartment as she finished hugging each of her friends and led them into the living room. Once everyone was seated she turned to them and asked, "Why are you all here tonight? Is something wrong?"

Sango was the one to answer her questions, "We came to see if you and Inuyasha wanted to come with us to this new night club called the Moonbeam. They say it's the hottest place in town and Koga knows the owners so we can get in without having to wait."

Kagome lowered head while replying, "I'm sorry Sango but Inuyasha is not here and I don't feel like going anywhere by myself."

Sango raised an eyebrow at her friend, "Where is Inuyasha?"

"He has to work late on a proposal for his boss. Apparently they are gathering the information needed for the owner to buy into this new company that Taisho Corp is creating. He says it's a good business move for our company and they need to get a proposal together so they can give it to the boss come morning." Kagome stated in a low and dejected voice.

Kagome really wanted to go it has been too long since she has been out with her friends. Ever since Inuyasha asked her to be his mate they have not socialized with them. She missed hanging out with them and having fun.

Sango huffed as she looked at Kagome, the gleam in her eyes said it all, "Well just because Inuyasha is working late doesn't mean you have to stay home all alone. It's Friday night for Kami's sake, you can come with us and have a good time. It's been a long time since we all have been out together and I think it's about time that you have some fun."

Sango was not going to take no for an answer as she signaled Ayame. They grabbed Kagome, one on each arm, and dragged her toward her bedroom. But before they reached the bedroom door, Sango yelled over her shoulder, "You two wait here for us. We will get her dressed then we can go."

Miroku's lecherous mind worked fast and he could not resist what he said next, "Sango, I can come and help you. I can hold Kagome still while you dress her." The glare he received from Sango was enough for him to shut up and say under his breath, "Or, I can stay here and live to see tomorrow."

Koga chuckled at his friend's antics as he watched the girls drag a protesting Kagome into her bedroom. They all knew what Inuyasha was doing, but they could not bring themselves to tell Kagome that he was cheating on her, it would break her heart.

They were anticipating that once he was mated to Kagome, he will stop cheating, because they all knew Inu's mated for life. They just hoped that they were making the right decision in not telling Kagome about what he was doing.

As soon as the door to the bedroom closed, Ayame let go of Kagome's arm as she went to look for something for her to wear. Sango led Kagome over to her bathroom and gave her a gentle push, "Go take a shower and by the time you're done we will have your clothes picked out for you."

Kagome looked at her friends like they were crazy, "I don't have a choice do I?"

"No you don't. It's about time that you get out of these four walls and start enjoying your life again. If Inuyasha wants to work then let him, but you are coming with us." Stated Sango in a no nonsense tone of voice.

Kagome sighed in defeat as she went to take a shower. She will humor her friends for a few hours then return home.

Kagome quickly took a shower, when she finally came out of her bathroom she had a towel wrapped around her body and one drying her hair. She looked at the outfit they selected for her and smiled. It was the same outfit that she wore on her first date with Inuyasha. She has not worn it since that day.

Kagome got dressed in her black leather pants. They were tight as they hugged her legs perfectly. They picked a black cowl neck sweater, along with a short black leather jacket. She applied very little makeup preferring to be as natural as possible. She combed her hair until it shined and left it flowing behind her.

She put on calf length boots that made her look stunning. When she was done she looked at her friends. They were all wearing the same thing except for the sweater. Sango had a pink one and Ayame a green one. They all laughed as they walked out of Kagome's bedroom to join Koga and Miroku.

Once Kagome put on her thick coat, they all left her apartment. They were going to this new club to see if it was as good as everyone said it was.

Miroku drove across town to where the club was located. There was plenty of snow on the ground so it was slow going. None of the cities hundreds of cleanup crews were out yet to clean the snow off the streets. There were plenty of accidents as drivers did not pay attention to the conditions of the road and were driving too fast. The end result, accidents about every city block.

Finally after about an hour, where it normally took just 15 minutes to travel across town, they finally arrived as they found a place to park. They all piled out of Miroku's SUV and made their way toward the club.

When they finally got there they saw a long line of people waiting to get in. It was cold and some of them sported red faces, it was apparent that they were waiting for a long time.

Koga walked up to the bouncer at the door as he whispered something to him. He nodded as he let Koga and his friends through the barrier, while the ones in line started to protest them entering the warmth of the club.

They all entered a lobby as they gave their coats to a girl that was at the door. After receiving a ticket stub for their garments they made their way into the club proper. The music was playing loud as they looked around. It was full of ningens, youkai, and hanyou's as they made their way over to the bar.

Koga walked into the club as he spotted his cousins. He made his way over to Ginta and Hakkaku, greeting them. He thanked them for letting them all into the club. They were escorted over to a private table on the upper level of the club, while they all sat down and got their drinks.

Kagome sipped at her drink as she looked down and watched the people dancing. They were not that high up but she could clearly see the dance floor down below. The club was fairly large. It was not two floors but in the middle of the room the dance floor was sunk down into the ground.

From what she could tell the center of the floor turned clockwise as the people danced on it. There was an outer circle that turned in the opposite direction as she watched the dancers going around in circles. There was a bar that took up the full length of the wall. They had about 10 bartenders serving drinks, while the waitresses moved around the area, picking up orders and clearing off the empty glasses from the tables.

There was a giant fish tank behind the bar where you could see large fishes just swimming around. Kagome thought that this club was everything they said it was and more. The music was playing loud as Koga and Ayame excused themselves and went to dance.

Kagome had a good time despite the fact that she just sat at the table and did not dance. She was just not in the mood for it, even though there were plenty of nice looking guys and demons asking her to dance.

She sat there still drinking the same drink as her friends were already into their third for the night. Kagome was laughing at a joke, made at Miroku's expense, as she turned her head to look down at the dance floor once again.

Something sliver caught her eyes as she looked in that direction. She saw the puppy ears and knew immediately who it was. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at the girl that was hanging off Inuyasha's arm.

The girl did not have a care in the world as she was rubbing her body up against the hanyou seductively. Said hanyou was not above grinding his hips into the girl's ass in time with the music being played.

A tear started to go down Kagome's cheek as she felt a pain, so great, that it broke her heart. _'How can Inuyasha betray me like this?'_ Then Kagome's eyes started to change color, as they became an icy blue.

Her eyes turned cold as she thought, _'He lied! He lied to me, saying that he was going to be working late, while he came here with her. How many more lies has he told me, where he would be working late only to go out clubbing with that bitch hanging off him? I will never forgive him for this!'_

Then Kagome remembered the people that warned her, who have seen her hanyou in various clubs with another girl. She denied their allegations thinking that her hanyou will never betray her like this, only to find out that their words were true.

Kagome stood as she walked away from her friends. Her aura was aflame with anger as she walked toward the bar where Inuyasha was standing with his new love. She wiped the tears away from her cheeks with the back of her hand angrily. She was given a wide birth as her Reiryoku surrounded her body. No youkai wanted to be near the powerful miko that seemed to be enraged.

Kagome stopped behind Inuyasha as she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot expectantly on the floor. She was at her wits end with the hanyou. She cleared her throat to get his attention, and said with a sarcastic tone to her voice, "Hello Inuyasha, I thought that you were working late."

-oOo-

Inuyasha was laughing at his well-made plan. He called Kagome and told her that he was working late. He wanted to go out with Kikyou to the new club she heard about. He had to reward his little bitch; she was such a good fuck, once he treated her to something that she desired.

He loved Kagome but she was being prudish on giving up her virginity to him. She preferred to wait until their mating night to give him anything. She was still his alpha bitch but his concubine was just that, someone that he could fuck when his mate to be refused to attend to his needs. He will have many such as Kikyou but he will only sire pups with Kagome.

He was a hanyou with an itch and Kikyou scratched that itch. They entered the club as Kikyou got into the music and rubbed her body up against his. It set his blood on fire as he responded to her moves, then they went straight to the bar. That little stunt that Kikyou did a few minutes ago set his body on fire. He wanted to throw her on the ground and fuck the living daylights out of her. He needed a drink to calm his nerves, as the music was too loud for his sensitive ears.

He just ordered some drinks when he heard a familiar voice that he did not expect to hear in a place like this.

Inuyasha plastered his ears to his scalp and slowly turned around. He looked straight into the furious eyes of his mate to be. She was mad as hell as he whispered, "Ka… Ka… Kagome?"

Kagome looked into the eyes of her former fiancé, she saw the shock in his eyes as she turned to the woman that was standing next to him. She had a death grip on his arm when she saw her, "Hello, my name is Kagome, how long have you known Inuyasha?"

Kikyou looked at the bitch that was addressing her man. She noticed that they both looked almost identical as she looked into the blue eyes of the bitch. She heard her question as she answered, "I have known him for two years now, who the hell are you?"

Kagome clutched her chest as a terrible pain hit her. She felt like something was breaking her heart into a million pieces as she struggled for control. She took deep breaths to get it, as she looked at her left hand.

She was wearing the ring that he gave her as a promise of his love and fidelity. She took it off as she threw it in Inuyasha's face. She then turned to the woman next to him and answered her question, "I WAS his fiancé, but you can have him, once a cheater always a cheater." Kagome turned on her heels and walked away from the shocked hanyou.

Inuyasha could not believe what just happened. What were the chances that Kagome will be in the same club that he decided to come to? Now she knew that he was not faithful to her and the ring, which he given her, was thrown back in his face. She broke off their mating and rejected him as her mate.

There was no way he was going to let her go. She was his mate and they will be mated this night whether she liked it or not. He tried to move to go after her, but he was held back by Kikyou, demanding to know who that other girl was.

-oOo-

Sango was enjoying her night talking and dancing in the new club. She had to admit that Koga's cousins were very smart when they opened this club. It was very successful and in no time they will be rich.

She noticed when Kagome just stood up and walked away from their table. She turned to her long time friend and asked, "Hey Kagome! Where are you going?" When Sango didn't get a reply from her friend she looked at the rest of her companions.

Koga and Ayame's eyes opened wide as Sango heard Koga say, "Kagome is really pissed right now, her Reiryoku is out of control. If she keeps this up she is going to purify every Youkai in this place. We have to go after her and see if we can calm her down."

Everyone got up as they went after Kagome. They had no idea what was making the young miko this angry. They all stopped in their tracks when they noticed that Inuyasha was in the club and there was another female with him. This was not good. They knew what he was doing but they did not want Kagome to find out. Now, she was mad as they saw what happened between their friend and the hanyou.

Sango rushed after Kagome, she caught up to her in the lobby, as she was about to leave the club, and made a grab for her arm. She quickly let go when she felt a jolt of electricity sting her hand. She turned shocked eyes towards her friend, "Kagome, where are you going? You can't go out in the cold like this. Come back inside and let us take you home."

Kagome turned as she looked at her friend. The tears that she was so desperately trying to hold back came running down her cheeks like a river. Her eyes told Sango everything as she saw the pain in them.

Kagome was struggling with the pain she was feeling in her heart. She has never been hurt this bad in all her life. She turned when she felt Sango grab her arm as she said in a low voice, "I'm going home. Don't try to follow me because I want to be alone for a while."

"But Kagome let us take you home! It's too cold out there, you don't have your coat, and it's too dangerous for you to be out there by yourself." Sango said with anguish, she didn't want Kagome roaming around the city this late at night by herself.

Kagome ignored her friend as she turned and walked out of the club. She just wanted to be alone right now. She walked outside as the wind whipped her hair in every direction. She turned and continued walking down the street as she was heading home.

Sango and the others gathered their things and took off after Kagome. There was no way they were going to let her walk home by herself, they were afraid that she would be attacked. Usually, only the unsavory characters of the city ever came out this late at night.

-oOo-

Inuyasha was fighting against Kikyou so she would let go of him. He growled at the bitch that was preventing him from following his mate, "Bitch, let go of me or you will regret it."

Kikyou was stunned at Inuyasha's verbal abuse of her person, "Who the hell was that whore Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha growled, "That was my future mate, now let go of me!"

Kikyou was stunned to hear this, she didn't think that he had a fiancé. She turned her heated eyes toward Inuyasha, "Inuyasha, if you go after that girl then we are through! You have to make your choice now, who is it going to be? Me or her?"

It was no contest as Inuyasha took off after Kagome. She was his bitch and she will learn her place.

Inuyasha raced out of the club as he looked for Kagome. He felt her powerful aura as he raced after her. He finally found her as he yelled, "KAGOME!"

-oOo-

Kagome was being followed by her friends. They were trying to convince her to get into the car but all she wanted to do was have some time alone. As she was walking she was deep in thought, _'Why, why did he have to do this to me? Was it because I wouldn't give myself to him? I don't understand why he has to break my heart. I loved him, I really loved him, only to be betrayed.'_

Kagome then heard Inuyasha's voice as he came after her. She stopped as she turned her cold blue eyes in the direction that the hanyou was coming from. The pain in her heart turned into anger at the thought of what he did to her. She saw him stop right in front of her as she heard him say, "Kagome, please we have to talk."

-oOo-

Inuyasha came to a stop right in front of Kagome, he needed her to return to him. He took a step back when he saw her eyes. He has never, in the time that he has known her, seen this much hatred in her eyes. It made her blue eye look cold as she starred at him.

He took a deep breath and continued, when she would not speak to him, "Kagome please, that girl doesn't mean anything to me. I love you. I don't want to be with anyone else but you. Please can we go home and talk about this?"

Kagome's aura started to crackle with power. Her anger was so great that she lost control of her Reiryoku. "Inuyasha, there is nothing to talk about. You have made your choice, now live with it. I don't want a person that cannot be true to me. I loved you, but you chose to forsake that love and chose another. Go find someone else to mate, Inuyasha, I will have nothing to do with you."

Kagome made to leave as she heard Inuyasha yell, "But you carry my courting mark! You still belong to me and you will be my mate." He made to attack Kagome as a barrier was formed around her body. She threw the hanyou backwards as she said in a deadly voice, "You say that I have your courting mark? I see no courting mark on my shoulder."

Inuyasha stood and looked at Kagome. She pulled the top of her shirt to the side as she revealed her shoulder to him. There was no courting mark on her shoulder. Her skin looked like it has never been touched and his scent was now gone from her body. His eyes started to turn red, "What the HELL happened to my mark?"

"When you chose another you revoked the claim you made on me. The mark vanished the moment I confronted your new love interest. So you hold no claim over me. I just wish that I could find the real person that is meant to be my mate. I know that he is out there somewhere and I wish with all my heart to find him." Kagome said with a broken heart.

At that moment Kagome fell to her knees as she grabbed her chest. She felt the final pieces of her heart break inside her body. She screamed as she doubled over in pain, trying to control what she was feeling.

A powerful barrier surrounded her body as a pink orb formed around her. It became solid, not letting anyone get close to her.

Inuyasha noticed what was happening as he rushed in and tried to reach Kagome. He hit the barrier full force as he screamed in agony. Her barrier was slowly purifying him as he was thrown back, about 10 feet, to land on his back. He was panting hard as his hair started to change color. Kagome's barrier managed to purify enough of his youki to turn him ningen before his time.

Inuyasha looked on in horror as his body transformed into a ningen. He saw the pink orb that surrounded Kagome lift off the ground. It hovered for just a minute, before it took off to the west at a fast clip. It streaked across the sky like a comet, leaving a trail of pink in its wake.

Sango, Miroku, Ayame, and Koga, watched as their friend left the area in a pink orb. They had no idea where she was going as they tried to follow. Turning as a group they started to make their way back to the car to go after Kagome.

But before Sango went after her friend, she turned her heated eyes to the now ningen Inuyasha. Her anger was peaked as she trudged through the snow to reach him. By the time she got there he was on his feet only to land flat on his back again.

Sango let all of her anger go as she took her right fist and let it connect with Inuyasha's nose. She put all of her weight behind that punch as she felt a satisfying CRACK, breaking his nose in the process.

Inuyasha's blood was everywhere as he looked up at the female that hit him. He got up on his feet again, yelling, "What the fuck was that for Sango?!"

Sango took another step forward and Inuyasha took an unconscious step back, she squared her shoulder, and said in a deadly voice, "That was for hurting my best friend! To think that I introduced you to her, only to have you break her heart like that. How could you cheat on her with that slut! Kagome gave you everything with the exception of the one thing that she wanted to gift you, on the day you mated, but you couldn't wait for that day. You had to go and cheat on her with that slut of yours."

Inuyasha wiped the blood away from his nose as he heard what Sango was saying. He looked at her with anger filled eyes, "Don't you dare call Kikyou a slut! She is not a whore like you! I don't see what the problem is, Inu Youkai have concubines all the time, why should I be any different? Kagome is still my alpha bitch and the only one that I will pup. I will not allow any female I fuck to get pupped only Kagome will have that honor."

Sango crossed her arms over her chest as she replied to the stupid hanyou, "I have no idea where you are getting your information from Inuyasha, but Inu Youkai mate for life. They are loyal to only one female and that's their alpha. They will never go looking for any other female but the one they are mated to. To break that bond with the alpha bitch is a direct insult to her. She can reject you as a mate because of it. So go back to the one you mated. She is your whore bitch now. Kagome will have nothing to do with you."

Sango turned on her heels and left the hanyou standing in the middle of the street by himself. They needed to go after Kagome and make sure that she was all right. They saw her pink orb heading west as they took off after their friend.

Inuyasha was dumb founded as he listened to what Sango was saying. He felt it, he felt his inner youkai fighting against him, from mating with Kikyou, and he did not pay attention to him. Now he has lost the best thing that he ever had in his life and he betrayed her trust.

He turned as he looked to the west where he saw Kagome's orb go. He wondered where she was going as he started to walk in that direction. He was ningen for the time being until his youki built up again and he returned to normal. Once he was a hanyou again, he will be able to track her down a lot better. He was not going to give up on her. He still loved her and he will do anything to get her back.

-oOo-

Hello everyone! This story has been in the making for over 4 years. It started out as an idea for a one shot. I got the idea when I was watching cheaters on the television late one night. So I decided to make a one shot out of it.

But as I was writing this story it took on a life all its own. It morphed into this story. It almost seemed that this story was destined not to be completed, since the laptop I had this in caught a virus and destroyed my story.

It took months for me to find the right programs to unscramble this story and even then there was a large part of this story missing. So I had to remember what I wrote and start again. Now it's complete and I'm ready to post it for your reading pleasure.

Halloween Love is a one shot and there will be no more to that story. So it's a done deal.

Cheaters takes place just before Thanks Giving and will end sometime by the end of January. So it will be a lengthy 10 weeks when all of this happens. I will try to make sure that the story is easy reading, and for those of you that have a problem with grammar please accept my apologies before time. I write for the enjoyment of writing and to relax after a hard day at work. I had a friend a long time ago that convinced me to post my stories and I found that a lot of you liked my little twists.

Now before you complain, that I'm making Kagome too powerful, well that is just me. I'm a female that hates to see other females portrayed as a weak minded female that needs a man by her side to get through life. I was raise by a strong woman without a father and she taught me that it was ok to be strong and powerful in your own right. That I can do anything I set out to do. So this is why my Kagome's are powerful.

As for the way I portray her mother that is based on what I have seen growing up. Though we don't want to think of our mother's being like this I have seen them worse than what I portray Kagome's mom as.

But fear not there is another Sesshoumaru and Kagome's story after this one called Ultimate Sacrifice where Kagome's mother is portrayed in a different light. Modeled after someone I know and admire. That one as well is finished so if this story goes all right and you all like it then I will post that one as well.

I hope that you will stay with me and follow my story to the end. I will never post a story that is not finished so you are guarantee an ending with this one.

Until the next time

Jani!


	2. Chapter 2

The night was cold as the full moon shown brightly in the sky. It stopped snowing a few hours ago and the clouds were now gone.

A lone figure stood on his balcony as he starred at the stars. He was wearing black silk pajama pants, as he stood shirtless underneath the moons rays. His silver hair swayed gently in the breeze as his bare feet rested on the cold marble floor covered in snow. His honey colored eyes were saddened at the thought of spending another holiday alone in his mansion.

He has been alive for eight centuries and this was the first time that he actually felt the loneliness of his existence. He longed for a mate to share his life and dreams with, but he has yet to find her.

Three centuries ago he was told that he will find his beloved mate under the full moon. Her powers will rival his own and when he saw her he will know that she was his match.

He has searched for her but none of the females that he has found so far was the right one. None has stirred his inner inu and without him there will be no mate. He wondered if he will ever find her or will he spend the rest of eternity in this lonely existence.

He was alone this night as he gave all of his servant's time off for the holidays. He knew that they wanted to spend time with their families while he spent his alone in his mansion. He was not ruthless or cold hearted, as everyone thought him to be. Yes he was ruthless when dealing with other businessmen because if he was not he would not be as successful as he was. But he did care about those who worked for him, he could care for himself, while his servants were away.

On this night he could not sleep, he was restless or shall he say that his inner inu was restless. He has never felt his inner youkai act like this before. It was agitated for some reason so he came out to his balcony to get some fresh air.

He was looking at the beautiful night sky, just letting his mind wonder, when he saw a streak of pink going across the sky. He was curious at what it could be, since it looked like it would land near his estate.

He formed his own orb of light as he took off after it. He followed the pink orb as it touched down near the cliff by the ocean, while he landed just a short distance away.

He started to make his way towards the orb, his feet moving silently through the snow as he approached the pink glow. There was a barrier there and it was protecting something that was inside. He approached with care as he saw a small form that was lying on the ground inside it.

He touched the barrier and was surprised by the amount of power that was coming from it. If he was a normal youkai he would have been purified, but he was a Daiyoukai and a powerful one, so the most he got was a slight burn from it. He increased his youki as his aura glowed red. He put his hand back on the barrier as he pushed. This time instead of getting burned he fought against the power of the barrier. He increased his youki until he was able to bring it down.

He saw a small black clad body lying on the ground as he approached. He caught the scent of honeysuckle and warm summer's breeze, the scent was heavenly to his senses as he reached down and rolled the person onto their back.

His eyes opened wide when he saw that it was a ningen onna. She was beautiful and her scent was very pleasing. His inner inu started to stir as it looked at the female. He gave a growl as his awareness of the girl grew. It was the first time, since Sesshoumaru could remember, that a female aroused his inner inu.

This surprised Sesshoumaru as he reached down and cradled the girl in his arms. She was so light that she barely weighed anything at all. He saw her shivering from the cold wind that was blowing around the area, as he wrapped his tail around her to keep her warm. She sighed in contentment as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Sesshoumaru formed his youkai cloud under his feet as he slowly lifted off the ground and went back to his mansion. It took him a few minutes to reach his home as he gently landed on the balcony and padded his way back inside his room. He tenderly laid her down on his bed as he looked at her.

She had beautiful blue/black hair that went down her back. He figured it would reach well below her back side when she stood. She was petite but very shapely. She had very soft skin as his fingers were touching her cheeks. He noticed that she was very cold to the touch. He needed to get her warm before she got sick.

He walked over to his fireplace as he got a good fire going. He then went into his closet and got one of his warmer long sleeve shirts. It will have to do since he had no female clothing that she could wear to sleep in.

He started with her boots as he unzipped them and then took them off. Her feet were so small compared to his hands and they were as cold as ice. He massaged her feet to get the circulation moving in them, as he felt them warming up. He did the same to the other foot as he saw the color coming back into her skin.

He sat her up in bed as he removed her leather jacket. He then reached up to her neck and unzipped the shirt. He pulled it off her person and quickly noticed how large her breasts were. They would fit perfectly in the palm of his hands if he was to hold them.

His inner beast howled with desire and it startled Sesshoumaru out of his musing. He has never felt his beast behave in such a way before. _'Could this be the female that I was told about so many centuries ago. I was told that I would find her under the full moon and there is a full moon outside.' _Sesshoumaru pondered this for a few minutes when he felt the girl shivering in his arms.

He quickly put on the shirt he got from his closet as he laid her down on the bed again. He left her undergarments on, thinking that she was going to be upset with him anyway for taking off her clothes. But if her undergarments were still on, maybe she would not be so vexed with him.

She was beautiful in his eyes. She has a perfect body that he admires. It was soft to the touch, not the firm muscle mass that he has known female Youkai to have. He liked the softness of her body, and her shapely figure.

He buttoned the shirt up as he started to unbutton her pants. When he pulled them down he noticed the black lace panties that she was wearing. It turned him on as he continued to pull off the cold leather pants. He finally got her undressed as he put the covers over her body. Finally her lips were turning pink from the unnatural blue color that they were a few minutes ago.

He stayed and watched her for a while wondering who she was and where she came from. He heard her whimper and then saw the tears that she was shedding in her dreams. Whatever she has experienced must have been horrible to make such a beautiful creature cry.

Then she started to thrash in his bed as he moved in behind her and held her in his arms. His inner inu started to growl low in his chest as she slowly calmed and finally fell into a deeper sleep. It felt wonderful to hold her, like she was meant to be there.

Sesshoumaru snuggled closer to the girl as his tail wrapped itself around them. The warmth of their combined body heat was slowly lulling him to sleep. Her calming scent and aura was both soothing to him and his beast, as his eyes slowly started to close. He fell asleep, holding on to the girl who was snuggled against his chest, as his inner inu purred keeping her calm and safe for the night.

-oOo-

The next morning Sesshoumaru slowly started to wake. His mind was conscious of the fact that he was warm and well rested. It was the first time, which he could ever remember, that he slept so soundly.

Sesshoumaru's senses started to come to him as he was picking up a wonderful scent. That scent was with him all night as he slept. Then he felt warm puffs of air hitting his bare chest as he tried to move to see what it was. He heard a whine of protest and froze, slowly opening his eyes, he noticed something black spread out on his bed. He furrowed his eyebrows together, deep in thought.

The memories of last night's events started to come back to him, he finally realized that he was holding a ningen onna in his arms. _'So it was not a dream, it was real. I did find a beautiful female in the middle of the forest last night.'_

Sesshoumaru held her a little longer, his inner inu was feeling happy at having found his mate. Then his mind started working as he thought about what he did last night. The little onna was not going to be too happy with him, when she finds out that he took off her clothes. He thought it best to get out of bed and get dressed, that way he could explain what happened last night when she awakened.

Slowly he moved away from her. He took her arm and lifted it gently from around his chest. The little onna rolled in her sleep last night and was now snuggled, against his bare chest, facing him. Her gentle breath was hitting him and it was doing wonderful things to his body.

He untangled his legs and tail from her body as he shifted away from her warmth. He took the pillow that he was using and put it in his place, as he lowered her arm. The moment he let go of her arm, she groaned and then snuggled the pillow closer to her nose. She took a deep breath and sighed as she laid still once again.

Sesshoumaru has never seen anyone take comfort in his scent before and it made his inner inu swell with pride. He moved the covers off his person as he slowly stood up. He did not want to move quickly and wake the sleeping angel in his bed.

Once he was on his feet he stretched his body fully. He felt good for the first time in a long while as he headed into his bathroom. He opted for a shower, not wanting to take a long time in the bathroom in case the little onna woke from her sleep. He wanted to look presentable when she woke, making the best impression that he could.

He showered, letting the rivets of hot water run down his well-toned muscles, as they sensually caressed his sensitive skin. It felt good as he washed his hair and body. When he was done he shook in the stall, getting rid of all the excess water. His hair was almost dry as he took a towel and finished drying himself. He then wrapped a towel around his waist as he took another one and dried the rest of his hair and tail.

He walked out of the bathroom as he slowly opened the door. He did not want to walk out in just a towel if the little onna was awake. Seeing that she was still sound asleep he went into his closet, looking for something appropriate to wear.

It seemed that there was nothing in his closet that looked appropriate for a male looking for a mate. He wanted to look good, and even though he has been told that he was handsome in anything he wore, it was still not enough. He looked to the back of his closet and found his old kimono and hakama. He has not worn those in centuries but it was what he was looking for.

He pulled out the garments as he put them on. Once dressed he let his youki flare, as his clothes were cleaned and pressed once more. They adjusted to his well-toned body, as they were back to their pristine look.

Happy with the way he looked he padded over, with his bare feet, to his bed as he sat in the corner, on the opposite the side she was facing, so he was behind her. He sat crossed legged while he waited for the onna to awaken. His tail was over his right shoulder as the tip came up on the bed and just laid there. He did not have to wait for long as the little onna was slowly waking up.

-oOo-

Kagome mind was coming back from its fog like state. She felt that she was laying down on something very soft and she felt warm. She was picking up a scent that was very pleasing to her, it was the scent of the forest with a spicy smell to it. It was very soothing to her as her mind wondered where it came from.

She moved her arm and felt something soft come into her chest. Her mind started working even faster as she started to remember everything that happened the night before.

She remembered the horrific pain she felt in her chest as she lost control over the powers she held. She tried hard to contain her powers but could not manage the task with her anger so far gone. The idiot hanyou did not know the danger he was putting himself in if he continued with his mouth and action. Slowly she opened her eyes and wondered where she was. She did not remember getting home last night.

At first her eyes were blurred as she blinked to get them into focus. When her eyes adjusted she noticed that she was not in her bed. She sat up quickly as she looked around the room she was in. It was beautifully done with dark cherry wood furniture and white marble floors. She noticed a few rugs around the room as she slowly looked around.

Kagome almost jumped out of her skin when she heard a smooth baritone voice, "I see that you are awake, how are you feeling?"

Kagome snapped her head around, almost getting whiplash, as she looked into the honey colored eyes of the male that spoke. Her eyes went wide as her fear went through the roof. She had no idea where she was and when she looked down she noticed that she was no longer wearing her clothes. She still had her underwear on, for which she was grateful, but she was wearing a shirt that was three sizes too big for her, and did not know who this person was.

She moved to the edge of the bed, as she was trying to escape this person. Tears formed in her eyes as she was starting to panic. She gathered what little wits she still had, as she tried to find a voice to speak with, "Who… Who… Who are you?"

Sesshoumaru noticed right away that the girl was scared out of her mind. Waking up in a strange place, she was starting to panic. He saw her move away from him as she held up the sheet to her chest. She was looking around the room wildly trying to find the means to escape him.

He heard her question as he tried to assuage her fears, "Please do not be afraid, I will not hurt you. I found you in the forest near my mansion last night. You were past out cold on the ground and I brought you here to my home to care for you.

"Please forgive my forwardness, in taking your clothes off, but you were at the point of having hypothermia and I needed to get you warm as soon as possible. I swear on my honor, I did not do anything inappropriate to you last night."

Kagome was slowly calming down as she heard him speak. His voice was rich and warm. He had a certain air of regalness about him that she believed what he saying to her. She didn't feel violated in any given way, as she took deep calming breaths.

She then looked down at her hands and noticed that her engagement ring was gone from her finger. She remembered everything that her hanyou did to her last night as the tears fell from her eyes.

Sesshoumaru caught the scent of her tears and thought that she might be in pain. He became concerned as he asked, "Are you all right? Is there anything I can do for you?"

Kagome sighed as she gathered her strength. She owed this person a debt of gratitude for helping her last night. She looked up into his eyes, "I… I… I want to thank you for taking care of me last night. I'm sorry for being such a burden to you."

Sesshoumaru sat up straighter, while he moved a little closer to her. He looked into the most perfect blue eyes he has ever seen. Her voice was so sweet it was music to his youkai ears. He looked at her with concern, "You were not a burden. I must admit that I was concerned when I found you half frozen in the forest. Can you tell me what happened to you?"

Kagome lifted her eyes as she looked at the male sitting in front of her. He looked so genuinely concerned for her. Inuyasha never looked at her like that. He could care less if she was hurt. He would generally say that she was the most accident prone person he has ever met and would leave her to her own demise. She looked away from him and said, "It's a long story and I'm sure that you really don't want to hear it."

"I have all day. There is no one here but me and this house does get lonely from time to time. I have an open ear if you want to talk about it." Sesshoumaru never took his eyes off the girl. He wanted her to open up to him as he watched what she was going to do.

Kagome was slowly losing the battle with the pain in her heart. She tried to keep all of her emotions within herself but it was not going to happen. She burst into tears as she cried her heart out. She then found herself in strong arms, being held against a perfectly strong chest, as he offered her comfort in her time of need. She raised her hands up as she grabbed on to the white kimono in front of her and let her sorrow go.

Sesshoumaru did not know what happened to the girl when she burst into tears. He felt her pain and anguish as he moved closer and brought her into his embrace. He was rubbing slow circles on her back trying to calm her down. His inner inu was heartbroken at seeing the little onna like this as he growled low and steady.

Slowly the pain in Kagome's chest started to go away. The soothing motion that this male was giving her was calming her down. He held her tightly in his arms and cooed at her that everything was going to be all right. He handed her some tissues from the side of the bed as she cleaned her nose and eyes.

When she was calm enough she said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to break down like that. It's just that I thought I would never be betrayed."

"You were betrayed? Who betrayed you?" Sesshoumaru asked with curiosity in his voice. He knew he should not pry into her life but he really wanted to know what happened to her.

Kagome sighed as she then began her long story.

Sesshoumaru listened intently to what the girl was saying, the moment she said that another was courting her, his arms dropped from her small form. He moved back slightly as he looked away from her.

Sesshoumaru was trying to calm his beast. The moment it heard that another has a claim on her it became enraged. His inner inu has waited centuries to find their mate and now there was nothing they could do to claim her. Sesshoumaru was taking deep breaths until he could get his control back.

Kagome noticed, when she told the male sitting in front of her, that she was to be mated by Christmas, he released her and moved away. She missed the warmth of his arms as she looked at him. He seemed upset about something as she tried to find out what was wrong. "Excuse me, but are you all right?"

Sesshoumaru tried to get his composure back as he sat up straight and said, "I'm all right, please continue with your story."

Kagome could see that he was greatly disturbed by something. She took a deep breath and continued. She explained everything to him and the last thing that she remembered, "Then I felt pain in my chest, the pain was so great that I think I passed out from it. The next thing I know, I'm here with you."

Sesshoumaru calmed down greatly as he continued to hear her story. There was still hope for him if she has rejected the male as a mate. He looked at her with curiosity, because he has never heard of a female being able to remove a courting mark before. The male has always been the one to remove it if the female rejects them for any reason. He wanted to look at her shoulder as he asked, "May I look at your shoulder?"

Kagome was a little stunned by his request, but she did not see anything wrong with it, so she agreed as she moved the shirt away from the spot where the courting mark would be.

Sesshoumaru looked closely at her shoulder. There was no evidence of her ever having a mark on her shoulder. "Did you remove the mark yourself or did he?"

Kagome huffed at his remark, "That idiot would never remove his mark from me. It was a spell that I cast the day he marked me. I never really trusted him and wanted a way out if he ever broke his fidelity to me. The spell removed the mark and his scent so no evidence is left.

"I want a male who is going to be true to me in our mating, not one that is going to run around and sleep with whomever he wants. A mating/marriage is a sacred thing and the pair involved should remain true to each other. That's why I was so heartbroken that he cheated on me with that girl. I will reject any male that was not faithful to me."

Sesshoumaru's eyes opened wide as he heard the girl speak. She has the values of an Inu Youkai. Inu's mated for life and they remain loyal to just one female. That female is the center of their world and nothing will ever come between them.

Sesshoumaru had a better understanding of the female sitting in front of him as he heard a grumbling noise come from the girl's stomach. He saw her blush a pretty red from embarrassment, "I think that you are hungry. I will go down and prepare breakfast for you. In the mean time, if you would like to take a bath or a shower, it's through those doors."

Sesshoumaru pointed to the door on the left as he continued. "While you are bathing I will see if I can find you something warmer to wear than those clothes of yours. You looked beautiful in them, but they are not practical for this type of weather."

Kagome blush deepened when she heard his compliment of her clothes. She saw him get up to leave the room when she had a thought, "Ah, excuse me but you must think of me as rude for not introducing myself. My name is Kagome."

Sesshoumaru flushed, _'How can I be so absentminded as to not introduce myself to the girl.'_ He heard her name and thought that it was beautiful as he said, "Please forgive my rudeness as well, my name is Sesshoumaru. Now I will go and prepare us something to eat. I will come back when breakfast is done."

Sesshoumaru promptly left his bedroom, embarrassment could clearly be sensed in his aura for not telling her his name, as he went to the room across from his. He went to the closet as he looked for something for Kagome to wear. He still has some of Rin's old clothes, and the girl looked to be around Rin's size.

Rin, his adopted daughter, has been gone for a year, she was married and settled in her new life. He enjoyed her company throughout the years while she grew up here. It was a break from the vast loneliness that he felt.

Rin softened him considerably from the way he used to behave. He was cold and uncaring before but when she came into his life she melted the ice around his heart. She showed him what unconditional love was and he craved that feeling once again.

But like everything else in his life she grew up too fast and fell in love. He knew that she was happy in her new life.

He found a pair of black woolen pants and a red sweater that Kagome could wear. He took them and returned to his room, placing the garments on the bed for her to find. Kagome was in the bathroom taking a shower as he heard her singing. Her voice was heavenly as he shook his head and then headed back out again.

He needed to see about breakfast for the both of them as he made his way down to the kitchen. Like the rest of his home the kitchen was huge for a house this size. The cooks would feed the entire staff plus himself when he was home.

His staff consisted of 10 people. He had maids that cleaned the house, gardeners, and cooks, but now his home was empty as he roamed the vacant halls. He was not a bad cook, he learned over the years how to take care of himself.

He took out some bacon and eggs from the refrigerator as he got the pans out and started to fix their meal.

-oOo-

Kagome was singing to herself as she showered. She felt strangely at peace and dare she say happy for some reason. She felt like a burden was lifted off her shoulders when Inuyasha's courting mark was gone from her neck. She had no idea why she was feeling this way only that she was actually at peace.

She remembered that she wished that she could find the one that was destined to be her mate last night. She wished so hard to find him after what Inuyasha did to her. That's when she felt the pain in her heart. She thought that she was having a heart attack when she fell to her knees.

Then she remembered that she released a tremendous amount of power to form a barrier around her body. When the orb formed she thought that she was in a dream.

_**-FLASH BACK-**_

Kagome was panting hard as she grabbed her shirt just above her heart. The pain was so great that she thought that she would die from it. She was breathing hard, trying to keep the pain at bay, when she heard the gentle words of a female talking to her.

"_My dear Kagome, do not worry. Your wish will be granted my child. You will find the one that will love you unconditionally this night and will be true in your bonding. You will meet him soon, when you see him, you will know that he is the one you are seeking. He has been waiting for you for centuries and his wait is finally over."_

Kagome did not know who that voice belonged to, only that she spoke the truth. She felt herself being lifted off the ground as she moved quickly across the skies. She had no idea where she was being taken to, only that at the end of her journey she will find what she was looking for.

She felt when the orb she was in landed on the ground. She was still on her knees, as she raised her head and looked around. She found that she was in a clearing near the ocean. The cold winds were blowing around her as she shivered. She was so tired, all she wanted to do was sleep. She lost her fight to stay awake as she fell face first into the snow, unconscious.

_**-END OF FLASH BACK-**_

She woke up here, in this beautiful home along with a male that was very handsome. She felt a pull in her soul as it wanted to join with Sesshoumaru. Kagome did not know what this meant. Did she find the male that the voice spoke to her about? Could he be the one that has been waiting centuries for her?

She didn't know the answers to these questions but she was going to find out. She could not get the handsome male out of her thoughts. His long silver hair flowed freely behind him when he walked, his honey golden eyes reminded her so much of Inuyasha's eyes that she could have sworn they were brothers. His tall muscular body would put any male to shame. The markings on his face made him more handsome than any other male she has ever met. She could tell that he was of noble birth by the way he carried himself and the way he spoke to her, but could he be happy with someone like her?

Kagome finally turned off the water when she could not find the answers to her questions. She dried herself off as she wrapped a towel around her body and then her hair to dry it. Kagome walked out of the bathroom as she entered the bedroom once again. She found new clothes lying on the bed as she put them on. They fit perfectly as she found a brush that she could comb her hair out with.

As she was brushing her hair she started to pick up the scent of bacon being cooked. The heavenly aroma made her stomach give a loud grumble, reminding her that she was hungry. She blushed a bright red at her own body's reactions to food. She put the brush down and then walked out of the room.

She followed the scent of bacon through the mansion. She observed how beautifully the house was decorated, and then she noticed the curtains that were hanging on the windows. She went closer to them as she inspected the fabric. A smile came to her features when she realized that the curtains came from the company she was employed with.

Goyo, the company that Kagome worked for, produced a large line of material that they use to make custom curtains and furniture covers. She came up with the idea for the beautiful material when she took some home and started to make curtains, pillow covers, slipcovers, and such with the material. When she was done she liked what she saw. So she presented her ideas to the owner of the company and he brought off on it.

Soon the company was making materials for windows and such. They employed workers that would design a room with the existing furniture. It saved the customers thousands in getting new furnishings for their home when they could just change the color of everything and refurbish it. It was a big hit and the company's profits grew to more than double in less than a year.

There was no skimping on anything in Sesshoumaru's home to make it look elegant, as she made her way to the kitchen. She finally found it as she pushed open the door to see Sesshoumaru standing by the stove cooking.

It was a site to behold, his tall and muscular body moving gracefully, as he cooked their morning meal. She moved slowly toward his side, when she got there she looked to see what he was cooking, "Um, Sesshoumaru can I help you in any way?"

Sesshoumaru nose caught the scent of Kagome when she entered the kitchen. The clothes that he left for her looked beautiful on her person. The red sweater brought out her beauty as he saw, out of the corner of his eye, her approach.

He heard her words as he continued to cook, "No, I don't need any help. This should be done in a minute."

Kagome looked around the kitchen, but she did not see any plates or silverware anywhere. It would be impolite to look through the cabinets to find what she needed to set the table. So she turned to Sesshoumaru and said, "Why don't you let me finish cooking and you can set the table. I have no idea where anything is kept."

Sesshoumaru agreed, he moved off to the side and opened a cabinet, then started to pull out some plates. Once he found everything he needed he started to set the table for them.

Kagome took over the cooking as she smelled the scrambled eggs. It was missing something as she reached over to a lower cabinet that she thought to be a spice rack and opened it. She found all manner of spices as she started to add them to the eggs. Within minutes the eggs smelled better as she took the pan off the fire and then went over to the table.

She served herself her normal portion, and then gave the rest to Sesshoumaru. He made a lot of food so she figured that he has a hearty appetite. When the food was finally served she sat down at the table with her companion.

Sesshoumaru noticed right away that the eggs smelled different than when he was cooking them. He took a bite and was surprised at how good they tasted. He turned to Kagome and asked, "What did you put in the eggs that made them taste so good?"

Kagome blushed at his compliment, "I just added some spices that were in the spice rack. I thought that you might enjoy it more if it has some spices in it, than just plain eggs."

They continued to eat in silence as Kagome looked up from her plate, "I want to thank you for lending me these clothes. You must thank your mate for me. I will make sure to have them cleaned and pressed before I return them to you."

Sesshoumaru continued to eat as he heard her words. He sighed as he said, "You're welcome, but I'm not mated. The clothes belong to my adopted daughter when she lived here. She still has clothes here for when she comes to visit with her mate."

Kagome was surprised to hear this. She thought he might have been mated. Who would not want a handsome man, uh, youkai like him? Then she started to think about what he said. If he is not mated, does he live in this big house by himself? Curious, she turned her blue eyes toward him again, "Do you live here all by yourself? It's a big house for just one person."

"No, I have servants that are usually with me but I have given them time off to be with their families during this time of year. It's my way of saying thank you for a job well done. I don't expect them back until after New Years." Sesshoumaru stated as he finished off his food and looked at Kagome.

He watched her eat her food and thought, _'She has very good table manners. She is graceful when she eats and she does not stuff her mouth full of food even though she is hungry.'_ He continued to watch her as he sat back and drank his coffee.

When she was done eating she gathered up her plate and his, but before he could protest she said in a gentle voice, "Since you were so gracious to cook the breakfast I will clean up the kitchen for you. After I'm done, may I use your phone? I want to call my mother and tell her that I'm all right. I'm sure my friends, by now, would have contacted her with what happened last night."

Sesshoumaru listened to her request and agreed, "Of course, you may use the phone in the main hall. Once you are done I can take you back home."

Kagome smiled at him as she walked over to the sink to start washing dishes. Then a thought came to her mind as she turned back to Sesshoumaru, "How far are we from Tokyo?"

Sesshoumaru thought for a few minutes and stated, "By normal mode of travel about 3 hours, by my method of travel, one hour."

Kagome raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "Your method of travel? What might that be?"

Sesshoumaru lips curled just slightly as a mischievous gleam came to his eyes, "When you are done with the dishes I will show you."

Kagome was very curious about his mode of travel. She quickly cleaned up the kitchen as she dried her hands on the kitchen towel and then followed him outside. Once they were standing outside Sesshoumaru moved closer to her as he wrapped an arm around her waist and formed his youki cloud under his feet. He lifted the both of them off the ground as he shot straight into the air.

Kagome held on for dear life when she was lifted off the ground. He came to a stop as she heard him say, "Everything that you see belongs to me. I come here to get away from the city and all the noise. I find peace here but it's a lonely existence."

Kagome looked around and found that he owned a lot of land. It was beautiful as she saw the snow cover everything for as far as the eye could see. Puffballs of snow were hanging from the tree branches as it weighed them down. The forest floor looked like it was covered with cotton as she saw the birds trying to find some food to eat.

She felt when he lowered them back to the ground and when her feet were firmly planted on terra firma again she released her hold on him. She blushed a deep shade of red as it started from her cheeks and went down her neck.

She looked up at Sesshoumaru and smiled brightly for him. She could get lost in those eyes of his. He was handsome and she was drawn to him for some reason. She quickly looked away from him and said in a shy voice, "What will you be doing for the holidays? Is your adopted daughter going to come and visit you?"

Sesshoumaru released Kagome from his embrace as he heard her question. He looked off into the distance, "Unfortunately she will not be coming. She is pupped and traveling is not good for her. So she will have his family at their home for Christmas."

Kagome heart went out to him. She liked being with him as she thought, _'There should be no reason why he should spend the holidays by himself. I wonder what he is doing tonight?'_ She turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru, "What will you be doing tonight?"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her question, he was curious to see where she was going with this, "Once I take you home I will come back here. Why?"

Kagome looked at the ground, feeling extremely shy, "I hope you don't think of me as being too forward, but would you like to join me and my family for dinner tonight? My mother is a wonderful cook and we are celebrating what the Americans call Thanksgiving. It's an American tradition to give thanks for the things we have. My mother picked up on this holiday from her friend that lives in the United States. So every year she cooks up this big dinner and we all eat to our hearts content. I know that the holiday was two days ago but it's the first day that we can all get together. There will be plenty of food and you're welcome to join me."

Sesshoumaru was shocked at her offer. He was trying to think of something, which would enable them to stay together for a little while longer, so he could get to know her. His inner inu was jumping for joy, as she wanted him to meet her family. It was a step in the right direction if he wanted to mate with her. He would have to know who to ask for her hand when the time came and have her family's approval.

He turned his attention back to her, "Are you sure that I will not be imposing? This sounds like a family affair and I don't want to be in the way."

"Oh you will not be in the way. My mother loves to show off her cooking skills every chance she gets. I'm sure it will be all right with her if you come with me. I would love to have you come and meet my family. Though, I do have to warn you that my grandfather is a little eccentric and he might plaster an ofuda on your forehead. He thinks that he has holy powers but in reality he doesn't." Kagome said as she saw amusement shine in his eyes.

She smiled at him as she heard him say, "In that case, I would be honored to join you and your family for dinner. What is the dress, may I ask?"

"You can wear what you have on, it's a casual dinner. It's just my family and if you're comfortable wearing this type of clothing then by all means wear them.

"Oh, by the way, what is your surname so I can introduce you properly to my family?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes opened wide when she asked for his surname. He completely forgot to tell her his full name. This was just not like him, he was never forgetful but around her he just could not get his thoughts together. He then looked at her again, "Please accept my sincere apologies, I seemed to have forgotten my manners today. My name is Taisho, Sesshoumaru, I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance." He bowed to her as he introduced himself.

Kagome eyes went wide as she heard his name, "Your Taisho, Sesshoumaru? The head of Taisho Corp? Multibillionaire?"

Sesshoumaru chuckled at her response, "Yes, that's me."

Kagome was stunned; she had no idea that she was actually in the presence of THE Taisho of Taisho Corp. She became pale as she nervously said, "PPPPP…Please to meet you Taisho-sama, my name is Higurashi, Kagome." She could not believe that she has just asked, one of THE most eligible bachelors in all of Japan, to come home with her for dinner.

Sesshoumaru noticed how pale she turned as his tail went around her waist to hold her, in case she fainted. "Kagome? Are you not feeling well?"

Kagome looked up into his eyes, "I'm fine. I just didn't expect to actually be meeting you in person. I mean, I have heard of you, you're a very important person, and I'm actually here standing next to you."

Kagome then giggled as she felt something tickling her. She looked down to see Sesshoumaru's tail wrapped around her waist. His tail found its way under her shirt, to her bare stomach, and he was using the tip of his tail to tickle her.

Kagome flushed red, as she giggled again, "Stop that! I'm very ticklish," slapping the tip of his tail away from her stomach to make it stop.

Sesshoumaru's cheeks turned pink as he forcibly removed his tail from around her waist. "I'm truly sorry Kagome, but it seems that my inner inu has developed a liking for you. He is being playful at the moment."

Kagome pulled her shirt down as she heard what he said. Her curiosity was sparked anew, "Inner Inu? Who or what is that?"

Sesshoumaru considered her question as he answered, "Kagome, every pure youkai has an inner beast that is a part of them. They are the most primal part of our existence. Every youkai keeps them under control or they will destroy everything in site if left unchecked. This Sesshoumaru has such a beast, and he has taken a liking to you. That's why he was tickling you. He has partial control over my tail and from time to time he does as he pleases. That is the only control I let him have."

Kagome consider his response for a few minutes, then she looked at him with pleading eyes, "Um, can I see him?" She kept her eyes on Sesshoumaru to see if he would consider her request. When it looked like he might deny her, she said, "Please." She gave him her best puppy dog eyes that she could muster, slightly letting her lower lip go forward and made it tremble just a bit, for affect.

It worked, she saw his resolve melt, as she heard him sigh, "Very well, but stay here. I don't want to lose sight of where you are standing. I have to warn you that my inner inu is very large so don't be scared of him."

Kagome nodded her acceptance of this, as Sesshoumaru moved away from her. She saw him rise into the air as his body was engulfed in a red ball of light. The next thing she knew there, in front of her, stood the biggest inu she has ever seen. He was all white with a blue crescent moon on his forehead. He had Sesshoumaru's markings on the side of his face as she looked at him in awe.

Sesshoumaru's beast came forth in a rush of power as he stood in the middle of what would be his gardens if it were not covered in snow. He looked down at the little female that he was attracted to as he laid down on the ground. He crossed his paws in front of him as he lowered his muzzle to the girl. He sniffed taking in her scent as it soothed him. He was surprised that she was not scared of him. There was no hint of fear in her scent as she looked at him.

He saw her walking towards him as he stayed still to see what she would do. When she was finally by his snout he felt her small hand on the side of his nose, she was gently moving her hand from side to side.

He growled in contentment as she scratched his cheek next. Never before has a female showed him so much attention. He moved his head slightly, just so he could get more contact with the girl. He loved the feel of her hands on his fur.

Kagome has never seen anything like this before. He was a gorgeous creature and just a big puppy at heart. She moved towards him wondering if he will let her pet him. She touched his nose and found his fur to be nice and soft.

She used both her hands to rub his nose gently as she walked the length of his snout and continued with what she was doing. She got to his cheek as she scratched the area and observed when he closed his eyes. She heard the gentle growl he gave while she snuggled right next to him.

The full length of her body was now flushed with his fur as she said, "Beautiful, you are truly a beautiful and magnificent creature."

Sesshoumaru's beast was stunned by her words. He has never been accepted by the ningen race because he was a creature to be feared. But here this little onna called him beautiful and magnificent.

He gently pulled away from her as he looked at her with his red eyes. This was all he needed to know. He accepted her as his mate, now his rational side has to figure out how to mate with her.

He lowered his head as his tongue came out and licked her hand gently. She tasted wonderful as he pulled away and stood on his legs. He moved slowly away from her as he shook to get the snow out of his fur. When he was done he was once again engulfed in a red light as he returned to his normal form.

Sesshoumaru landed right next to Kagome. He looked at her as he heard her say, "You have a magnificent and powerful inner inu. I can see why you are so powerful and are feared if you have him by your side."

Sesshoumaru's tail came up as it wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her into his body. Their eyes were still locked as he lowered his head until their lips touched. The moment they touched, it sent a burning sensation through their bodies as the passion was ignited in both of them.

Kagome's scent spiked heavily as she felt things in that kiss that she never felt when Inuyasha kissed her. Her body went weak in the knees as she felt his tongue touch her lower lip wanting entrance. She complied, as she opened herself up to him and deepened the kiss.

Sesshoumaru could not believe how good she tasted. He stilled remembered when his inner inu licked her hand but this was much better. She tasted like honey and cinnamon, a wonderful combination, as he wrapped his arms around her body to hold her closer to his chest.

They kissed for what felt like an eternity as they slowly parted from each other's lips. Sesshoumaru gaze never left her as she said in a shaky voice, "Um… I… I think… I better go in and call my mother. I want to tell her that I'm all right and that I will be bringing you home with me."

Sesshoumaru agreed with her request as he regrettably released her from his grasp. He did not let go of her until she had her footing. Once she did she turned and walked back into the house.

Sesshoumaru looked on as she walked away from him. There was no more doubt in his mind. She was the female that he has been waiting for all these centuries. She was his match and when he kissed her he felt the connection between them.

Her scent spiked with her arousal the moment their lips touched. He has never been aroused, by any female, the way he was when he held her in his arms. She stirred the passion in his heart and he knew that he will have to act fast to get her to be his mate. All he has to do now is wait for the right opportunity to ask her.

Kagome walked slowly back into the house, her fingers were gently rubbing her lips where she still felt his lips against hers. She could not believe that he kissed her. It was the most amazing kiss she has ever had. Not even Inuyasha's kisses stirred her passion like Sesshoumaru's kiss did. She felt a connection with him the moment their lips touched. Now she was confused, could the voice she heard in the orb be talking about Sesshoumaru? Has he been waiting for centuries, for her to come along and get rid of the loneliness that he was feeling?

This was certainly something that she has to ponder as she reached the door and opened it. She went straight to the phone as she picked it up and dialed her mother's number. It only rang once when she heard her mother answer the phone, then she said, "Mama, it's me."

Kagome heard the frantic voice of her mother as she fired off a hundred questions, not letting her get a word in edgewise. Kagome waited until her mother ran out of air as she said, "MOM! I'm fine. I have been well taken care of by a friend of mine. I want to know if it's alright to bring him for dinner tonight."

Kagome got her reply from her mother as she said, "Ok mom, I'll see you in a few hours then." She then hung up the phone as she let a breath escape her lungs. She felt something furry wrapping around her waist as she looked down and saw a tail wrapped there. She reached down and started to run her fingers through Sesshoumaru's fur as she played with his tail.

Sesshoumaru just walked up behind Kagome as she put the phone down. He thought that something was wrong, when he felt his tail wrap around her waist. He was about to remove it when he felt her fingers running through his fur. He was in heaven as she showed him some attention.

He could not help the growl that escaped his lips. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed her attention as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He then turned his head and said into her ear, "I would suggest that you stop that before I do something that we will both regret."

To emphasize his point he moved his hips closer to her back as he pressed his erection into her.

Kagome froze when she felt how hard he was. She had no idea that she was doing that to him. She just liked the feel of his fur on her fingers as she combed his tail with them. The moment she stopped, she thought she heard a whimper come from Sesshoumaru, as he removed his tail from around her waist.

Kagome turned, as she looked at the floor, embarrassed at what she did to him, "Mama said that you are welcomed at our house and that dinner was at 6. So I guess we should get going if we want to get there on time."

Sesshoumaru caught the scent of her embarrassment, he moved his hand to her chin as he slowly raised it so he could look into her eyes, "Worry not Kagome, I will get us there in plenty of time. In the mean time my home is your home, you are free to go anywhere you like." He leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose before he released her chin and walked away.

Sesshoumaru had no idea why he is acting this way but he felt like a pup again as he teased the female that was in his home. He left Kagome alone as he walked toward his study. He needed to get some things done before they left for her home.

Kagome just stood there in shock. Sesshoumaru was definitely full of surprises and she did not know how to take it. One side of her liked his playfulness. It was something that was missing from her life and she enjoyed his attention. Then there was another side of her that told her to be cautious around this male.

She opened her senses as she let it run through the house, she felt the confusion in Sesshoumaru's aura and wondered why he was confused. She felt his frustrations, sadness, and determination. _'Are all these emotions, because of me? Could he be attracted to me?'_

Kagome decided to have some fun. She hid her scent and aura as she searched for Sesshoumaru. She followed his aura to the study as she quietly opened the door. She spotted him sitting in a chair as he was looking out the window. He was so deep in thought that he did not sense her coming into the room.

She walked up behind him as she leaned down and placed a long wet kiss on his neck. When he turned around she was gone like the wind.

Sesshoumaru felt something on his neck and when he turned around he found no one. He raised his hand and placed it on his neck. He felt a wet area just under his chin. There was only one person in his house, so how did she do it? How could she come into his study without him noticing? Only the most powerful of miko's can hide their scent and aura from him in order to do this.

A small smile came across his lips, his little onna was playing games with him. He will indulge her but not now. He needed to get ready to leave and take Kagome back to her home. He did not want her to go. He enjoyed her company and wanted her to stay with him. He wondered if he could convince her to come back home with him.

Sesshoumaru was working for a good portion of the day. He had papers to sign and orders to issue as he pecked away on his home computer. When he noticed how late it was getting, he got up from his chair as he went back to his bedroom. He selected a pair casual black pants and a dark blue shirt with long sleeves. He combed his long mane as he put it in a low ponytail. When he was done he went looking for his little vixen.

He found her on the couch in the living room asleep. She looked beautiful just lying there. He hated to wake her but he knew she wanted to see her mother tonight or else he would take her back to his bed.

He sat down next to her as he looked upon her beauty. The idiot that was her suitor was a fool for letting her get away. He should have never betrayed her, from what she has told him, he was an inu hanyou. Even with his diluted blood he should have known that an inu remains true to the female they have chosen. For him to have chosen her and then go to another was disgracing his bloodline.

Sesshoumaru's eyes soften as he moved the hair away from Kagome's face. He leaned down as he dragged his tongue across her neck and tasted her. She still tasted heavenly as he saw her start to wake up.

Kagome felt a presence near her. Slowly, she opened her eyes until they came into focus. Turning her head slightly she saw Sesshoumaru sitting there next to her. She smiled at him as she heard him say, "We have to leave if you want to make it on time to your mother's house. It will take about an hour for us to get there, so we better go."

Kagome agreed as she slowly got up from the couch and followed him outside.

Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around Kagome as he formed his golden orb and took off into the sky. His tail encircled her body to keep her warm as they traveled. She snuggled even closer to him as she wrapped her arms around his chest. They traveled in silence, just enjoying the comfort that they gave to each other.

Kagome had her head resting on Sesshoumaru's chest, she felt at peace for the first time in her life. She felt the warmth that came from Sesshoumaru as his aura wrapped around her body. It was the most amazing feeling she has ever felt. She could feel his emotions through his aura, the happiness that he felt went through her body as she held him even closer than before.

His scent was soothing to her as she subconsciously rubbed her cheek against his chest.

Sesshoumaru felt the attention that Kagome was giving him. She was rubbing her cheek against his chest, which meant that she wanted comfort from him. His inner inu responded to her request as he started to growl gently to sooth his mate. He felt the tightening of her arms around him while one of his hands was rubbing her back in small circles.

They were finally approaching the city of Tokyo as he turned his attention to the female in his arms, "Kagome, where do you live?"

Kagome looked up to see where they were. She gave him directions to the shrine, and it took them another two minutes of flying to get to there. Sesshoumaru lowered them gently to the ground as his orb vanished from around them.

He looked around the area when he spotted something that he recognized. He stepped away from Kagome as he walked over to the Goshinboku. He has not seen this tree since he was a pup, and was surprised to see it still standing in the same place, growing strong. He stopped right in front of the tree as he put his hand on the trunk. He closed his eyes as he felt the affects of the tree. This tree has always been able to soothe his soul whenever he was troubled.

He opened his eyes once again when he felt Kagome's presence behind him. He turned and stated, "It has been a long time since I have seen this tree. I thought it was destroyed along with the rest of the forest that once resided here before the city. This tree has always helped me to calm my inner inu so I can think clearly when I was troubled."

Kagome smiled at his statement, "My family has been entrusted with the care and protection of this shrine for centuries. As far as we can tell we have been the original protectors of the village since it was named Edo. My ancestors were very powerful priest and miko's during that time. My grandfather can tell you all the stories you want to hear about how our shrine came to be. But right now I'm cold and we need to get inside before my mother starts to panic that we are not coming."

Sesshoumaru agreed and followed her to the modest little house that was on the grounds. This place felt relaxing to him, it was no wonder that he was attracted to the female in front of him, if her ancestors were powerful priest and miko's.

Kagome had her arms wrapped around her body as she made her way to the front door of her home. She opened the door and stepped inside as both she and Sesshoumaru removed their shoes in the entryway. She then turned her attention toward the kitchen as she yelled, "Mama! I'm home!"

Sesshoumaru saw a slim female come running out of the kitchen as she threw her arms around Kagome. The only thing that he could hear was, "Kagome! I'm so glad that you're safe. What happened?"

Asumi was relieved that her daughter has finally made it home. She was overwhelmed with the emotions of almost losing her.

When Asumi heard her daughter grasping for air she let go of her as she asked her questions. She looked behind Kagome and noticed a very tall and handsome youkai standing there, waiting to be acknowledged.

Asumi stood tall as she looked at Kagome and asked, "Who is this with you honey?"

Kagome blushed, how could she forget that Sesshoumaru was there with her. "Mama I want you to meet Taisho, Sesshoumaru. He is the one who found me last night and took care of me."

Kagome then turned her attention to Sesshoumaru and said, "Sesshoumaru, I want you to meet my mother, Higurashi, Asumi."

Sesshoumaru bowed as he stated, "It's a pleasure to meet you Asumi-san."

Asumi smiled as she said, "Just call me Asumi, I am in your debt for taking care of my daughter. I don't know what I would have done if I lost her. She means the world to me. Please come in and relax. Dinner will be ready in a little while, in the mean time, may I get you something to drink?"

Sesshoumaru gracefully declined the offer as he followed Kagome into her living room and sat in a comfortable love seat.

Kagome went and sat next to Sesshoumaru when her mother said that she did not need her help in the kitchen. They were talking quietly together when Kagome's grandfather came into the room.

Kagome watched her grandfather closely as he looked around the room, _'Any minute now, gramps is going to see Sesshoumaru and figure out that he is a youkai, then the ofuda will come out.'_

She did not have to wait long when her grandfather's eyes landed on Sesshoumaru. She saw his eyes go wide as his hand slipped into his kimono. She knew what was coming and was quickly on her feet. She blocked the ofuda from being put on Sesshoumaru forehead, while she heard her grandfather yell, "Demon be gone!"

Kagome huffed as she removed the ofuda from her forehead, "Jii-san! Will you stop doing that! This is Taisho, Sesshoumaru and he is a friend of mine. He is here for dinner and I want you to behave yourself while he is here. No more ofuda's for tonight, do I make myself clear."

Jii-san huffed as he said, "You know that it is a force of habit that I do that." Then his brain caught up to what his granddaughter said, "Taisho? Kagome is he the Taisho, Sesshoumaru from Taisho Corp?"

Kagome smiled as she said, "The one and only, Jii-san. So does this mean you won't try to purify him while he's here?" Kagome did a double take as she saw her Jii-san move with speed over to Sesshoumaru and engaged him in a conversation. She never knew her Jii-san could move so fast and that he was interested in modern technology.

Sesshoumaru was having a great time. He was enjoying Kagome's family immensely. Her grandfather was a character. Though he did try to purify him when they first met he was a wealth of knowledge and curiosity.

Sesshoumaru knew that he did not possess one ounce of spiritual powers but he was not about to tell the old man that. But while Sesshoumaru was talking to him he got several ideas for future products that his company could produce and put on the market.

Dinner was finally finished and they all sat down to eat. Sesshoumaru followed what they were doing and waited until the prayers were done. Once they were done they all got some food out of the bowls on the table and began to eat.

The food was excellent as Sesshoumaru turned his attention to his hostess, "Asumi, your food is wonderful. I have never tasted food this good."

Asumi blushed at the compliment as she stated, "Thank you Sesshoumaru, but I'm not that good. Kagome here is a better cook than me. I taught Kagome how to cook but when she makes the same dishes, they are always better than mine."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at Kagome and he saw her blush a pretty red. He smiled at her as he said, "Maybe you will consent to cook for me sometime. I would love to sample your cooking."

Kagome felt her face heat up when she heard what her mother said. She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw that Sesshoumaru was starring at her in surprise. She blushed even more as she heard his remark. She swallowed her food as she said, "Sure, I would love to cook for you. But I'm not really as good as my mother."

They continued to talk and eat. Sesshoumaru ate his fill and sat back, while he continued to enjoy the family that he was with. This is what he missed around his home, the feeling of a family's warmth that you could only have if you were mated.

Kagome helped her mother clear the table as she helped with the pies. Her mother always made apple and pumpkin pies. She took a piece of apple pie and handed it to her Jii-san. She took a piece of pumpkin pie and gave it to her brother, who for some reason was very quiet during dinner. She saw her mother serve herself a slice of apple pie as she turned her attention to Sesshoumaru and asked, "Which pie would you like to have apple or pumpkin?"

Sesshoumaru has never eaten pumpkin pie, so he went for something that he was familiar with. "I'll have a piece of apple pie please."

Kagome smiled and gave him a piece of apple pie while she settled for the pumpkin. She put some whip cream on her piece as she looked out the corner of her eye and saw that Sesshoumaru was looking at her with curiosity.

She figured that he has never tried pumpkin pie before so she cut the first piece and offered it to him. She saw his eyebrow rise in question at the pre-offered piece of pie, "I know that you have never tried pumpkin pie so I want you to try this piece to see if you like it."

Sesshoumaru did not know what to do. His little vixen was trying to feed him and to him this meant that she was willing to continue in their courtship. He agreed as he took the piece she offered, his eyes went wide with wonder. He did not expect for it to taste this good. It was sweet and the spiciness of the spices made it mouth watering.

He looked up as he saw the expectant look in Kagome's eyes. She wanted to know how he liked it. He swallowed what he had in his mouth as he said, "That was really good Kagome. I have never tasted anything like it."

Kagome smiled as she turned and ate her piece of pie. To her surprise she heard when Sesshoumaru asked for a piece of pumpkin as she quickly gave it to him with some whip cream.

The dinner was wonderful as they now sat in the living room, talking and drinking tea. Then Kagome's mother looked around the room and asked her son, "Souta, did you let the cat back into the house? It's going to get colder outside and I don't want him getting sick."

Souta looked up from the game he was playing as he answered, "No mama, I haven't let him in yet. When I went to get him I couldn't find him."

Asumi looked crest fallen at the thought of going out and looking for the cat, but she could not, in all honesty, leave him outside in the cold. He was just as much a part of her family as everyone in the room.

Kagome noticed her mothers distress and said, "Don't worry mama, I'll go out and get him. I think I might know where he is hiding."

Kagome then turned her attention to Sesshoumaru, "You stay here, and I'll be right back." Kagome then patted his arm lightly as she got up from the love seat, she was sharing with him, and went out into the hallway.

She found her mother's coat hanging by the door and put it on along with her warm boots. _'I am so glad that mama and I are the same size in everything. At least I won't freeze while I look for the stupid cat. I wonder where he has run off to this time?'_

Kagome opened the door as she stepped outside into the cold wind. The night was clear and the stars were shinning brightly up in the sky. The almost full moon could be clearly seen this night as she looked across the shrine grounds.

She stepped off her porch as she pulled the collar of her mother's coat higher on her neck to keep the chill out. She turned walking towards the Goshinboku and started calling, "Bouyou! Bouyou, where are you?"

Kagome listened as the wind was howling through the area. Then she heard a faint meow coming from the other side of the tree. She walked around it, and there lying in the snow was her fat cat purring in contentment. She reached down and picked him up in her arms. His tail was switching back and forth in a playful manner.

Kagome looked at her cat and scolded him, "Bouyou! You naughty kitty! Do you realize how cold it is out here? Mama is worried sick about you. Come on lets go inside where it's warm and I'll give you a bowl of warm milk."

Kagome turned with the cat in her arms as she started to walk back to her house. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Inuyasha standing there, looking at her. Her breath hitched as she took a step back in fear.

-oOo-

Inuyasha has been searching everywhere for Kagome. He has yet to find her and he was getting worried. He has been searching for her ever since he left the club last night, to try and explain things to her.

He decided to check her mother's house since they were supposed to go there tonight and have dinner with them. Her mother was very nice but he just could not be around her. It was like her mother was looking into his soul trying to decide something about him.

He didn't like the look that Asumi would give him. He felt threatened by Kagome's mother, thinking that she will ruin his bond with her daughter. She could refuse him a mating, so he refused to come to her home. He knew that Kagome cared for her family deeply so he hoped that she was there.

He just made it to the bottom of the stairs that led to the shrine. He started the long climb up when the wind shifted and he caught Kagome's scent. His heart leaped with joy as he bounded up, what remained of the steps, and searched for the love of his life.

He finally found Kagome near the Goshinboku as she bent down to pick up her lazy cat. He approached her as he stopped a few feet away. He picked up the scent of her fear as she took a step back, trying to get away from him.

Inuyasha panicked thinking that she was going to leave again, "Kagome! Wait! All I want to do is talk to you. I never meant to hurt you that way. I love you and I want us to be together. I promise that this will never happen again. Please, can we go somewhere and talk this out?"

Kagome was surprised to see Inuyasha at her home. Tears started to form in her eyes as she heard what he was saying. She looked into his golden eyes and said, "There is nothing to talk about Inuyasha. You have made your choice. I told you before what will happen if I ever found out that you were not faithful to me. You pledged your love and fidelity to me and then betrayed me with that tramp! I have nothing more to say to you, now if you don't mind I have to go back inside."

Kagome made to leave but Inuyasha blocked the path to her house. He was not about to let her get away again, "You don't understand Kagome. You belong to me. You are my mate and we will be mated this night. I will not let you go that easily."

Inuyasha eyed the girl in front of him as his eyes started to go red. His inner youkai was coming forth to get what he wanted. His stupid rational side screwed everything up and let the female that he chose get away from him. Their mating mark was removed by the female, an act that was impossible to do, but the bitch in front of him managed to do it.

He flexed his claws as he advanced towards their female.

Kagome saw as Inuyasha's eyes were starting to turn red. This was not good as she let go of the cat. Bouyou landed on his feet, hunching his back, hissed, as he got the hell away from the dangerous hanyou.

Kagome continued to take steps backwards as she yelled, "Inuyasha! What are you doing? I have rejected you as a mate. Be a man and accept your fate, I will never mate with you!"

Inuyasha rushed in as he attempted to grab Kagome.

Kagome seeing Inuyasha moving towards her quickly turned and started to run to the side. He grabbed the coat she was wearing by the collar as he held on to her.

Kagome quickly slipped out of the coat, thanking the Kami's that she did not button the damn thing up as she ran. She was trying to make it to her house when he grabbed her by the wrist.

Kagome was trying to get away from Inuyasha when he took his other hand and slapped her across the face. She was still on her feet as she was pulled into his chest.

Inuyasha was breathing hard as his bitch was being difficult. He needed to discipline her so he hit her. He pulled her unresisting form into his chest as he growled at the struggling female, "Bitch! You belong to me. You will be my mate and you will wear my mark proudly."

Inuyasha's youkai went to mark Kagome but was stopped by her purifying power.

Kagome had enough of Inuyasha as she raised her other hand up and called forth her powers. She let a blast of her Reiryoku go as he released her and she fell to the ground. She was struggling to get up when she felt herself being forced onto her back. She looked up only to see an enraged hanyou. Her fear took over as she screamed for the only one that could help her, "SESSHOUMARU!"

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was enjoying his conversation with Kagome's mother. He was wondering what could be taking Kagome so long in finding a cat. He thought about going outside to see if he could help her when his sensitive ears heard her cry out for him. His eyes turned red as he vanished from inside the house only to materialize outside.

He scanned the area as he looked for Kagome. A muffled cry alerted him to her location as he rushed toward the Goshinboku. He stopped in his tracks when he saw a male on top of his chosen female about to rape her. His claws just ripped open her shirt as he gave a vicious growl and attacked.

Inuyasha's inner youkai was not about to let his bitch go. She will be his by force if that is the way she wanted it. He flexed his claws as he tore through her shirt and bra exposing her breast for his hungry eyes to see. He was leaning down to take one into his mouth when he was forcibly removed from his chosen female.

Inuyasha hit the Goshinboku hard as he slid down the trunk of the tree to land in a heap on the ground. He looked up as he saw another youkai standing in front of his female as he growled his challenge to the male.

Sesshoumaru grabbed the offending youkai by the neck as he threw him against the Goshinboku. He stood in front of Kagome as her crying form was curled up on the ground. She was shaking in fear and crying her heart out. She called for him when she was in trouble so he could protect her. His inner inu took the challenge as he faced off with his opponent.

Sesshoumaru looked at the offending male as his eyes went wide. It was his half brother that was attacking his female as he said in his bestial voice, "Inuyasha! What is the meaning of this? Why are you attacking this female?"

Inuyasha, recognizing his brother, answered, "What are you doing here Sesshoumaru? You have no right to interfere with my chosen bitch! She is mine and I'm going to claim her now."

Sesshoumaru finally understood who the other male was that was courting his bitch. His own brother disgraced his family by cheating on Kagome with another female. His blood was beginning to boil, "You bastard! You have disgraced our father's memory by chasing after another female when you were courting this one. She has rejected you as a mate and you must bow down to her wishes. She is no longer yours to mate, she has removed your mark and you must live with the mistake you have made."

Inuyasha gave a vicious growl, "What difference does it make! I can have concubines; she will be the only one to bare my pups. I don't see what the big deal is."

Sesshoumaru was losing his patience with his brother. "You are a complete idiot! Concubines are for ookami and lesser youkai! You are an Inu Youkai, just like me, we are faithful to just one female because we mate for life. If you go and take another, while you are courting the one you have chosen, she has every right to refuse your suit for your infidelity towards her."

Inuyasha heard what his brother was saying. He was right and he knew it, but he just could not let go of the female that he chose as his mate. He flexed his claws, growling at his brother, "It doesn't matter, she will be my mate and I will remain true to her. Now move aside, I want to claim my bitch."

Sesshoumaru sighed his brother has a one-track mind. Sesshoumaru stood his ground, protecting the female, "She is no longer yours to claim, she has chosen another male to be her mate and now you have to live with it. I will not allow you to hurt her again."

Inuyasha's ears shot straight up as he heard his brother's words. _'There is no way that she has found someone else so quickly! She is mine and I will fight for her.'_ He looked at his brother as he said, "MOVE! I will not give her up so easily."

"No." Was Sesshoumaru's answer as he saw his brother attack. He flexed his wrist as he hit his brother with his poison whip, protecting Kagome. She called to him to protect her as her mate and he was going to do just that.

Sesshoumaru's whip made contact with Inuyasha's chest as he flew backwards. He landed in the snow as he quickly got up and attacked again. Sesshoumaru did not want to destroy the shrine grounds if he could help it. He knew that the only way to defeat Inuyasha was for him to beat his inner inu that was in control.

He rushed in as he grabbed his brother by the throat and pinned him against the Goshinboku. He growled as he clearly said in inu youkai to him, _"Submit pup! You have no right to the female. She has rejected you as a mate and you must learn from your mistake. This female is now mine to protect and you will not touch her!"_

Inuyasha was struggling in his brother's grasp as he barked back, _"You bastard! She is my female, how dare you take her away from me. I will fight for her, she is MINE!"_

Sesshoumaru applied pressure to Inuyasha's neck as he let some of his poison seep into the wounds he just inflicted. He heard his brother howl in pain, _"SUBMIT! She is MINE to protect and to care for. She is my bitch and I will not let you have her. If you do not submit I will be forced to kill you."_

Inuyasha's inner beast knew when he was defeated. His brother was stronger than him, he will keep his word and kill him, if he did not submit. He looked at Kagome as he whined to his brother. He felt himself being shaken more forcefully as he heard his brother's growl again.

Inuyasha's inner inu whined in defeat as he bared his neck to his brother in submission. He felt as he hit the ground once his brother released him. He was coughing, trying to get some air into his lungs, as he looked up with golden eyes.

Inuyasha saw his brother kneeling near his female as he brought her into his embrace. He still could not believe that his inner inu submitted to his bastard brother. He got to his feet as he said in a horse voice, "This is not over yet. I will have Kagome as my mate." He then turned and left the shrine, planning what his next move was going to be.

After seeing his brother submit to him, Sesshoumaru turned going towards Kagome who was still crying on the ground. He picked her up and held her tightly in his arms. He ignored his brother's comments to him, turning his full attention to the female in his arms. His inner inu purred to soothe her as one of his hands rubbed her back.

Kagome finally calmed enough as he asked, "Kagome, are you all right?"

Kagome could not believe that Inuyasha did this to her. After all the years that they have been together he was going to force her into a mating. She was so scared that she could not use her powers to stop him. She did the only thing she could think of and that was to call for Sesshoumaru.

He came to her aid and protected her against Inuyasha. She didn't know what she was going to do. She was scared out of her mind that Inuyasha will find her again and then force her to mate with him, and if that happened she will be forever tied to him. She felt when she was picked up and then carried towards her house.

Sesshoumaru was concerned for the girl. She did not answer his question and just snuggled closer to his chest. He smelled her fear and he found that he hated that scent. It tainted her natural scent of honeysuckle and warm summer's breeze. He stood as he brought her closer to his chest and hurried back to the house.

When Sesshoumaru walked back into the house, a frantic mother, who was worried about the condition of her only daughter, greeted him at the door. He assured Asumi that Kagome was fine, as he went and sat in the love seat he was occupying for the evening. Kagome was still in his arms as she held on to him with a death grip.

Asumi tried to get her daughter out of Sesshoumaru's lap but she refused to leave. She felt safe in his arms and did not want to move. Sesshoumaru for his part was just happy to hold her as his chest vibrated to keep Kagome calm.

After a while Kagome came out of her fog like mind, she looked around to find her family looking at her with concern in their eyes. She sighed as she said, "Mama, I can't stay here. I don't know if Inuyasha will be coming back, but if he does I don't want anyone here to get hurt. I'm going back to my apartment. I will call you when I decide what I'm going to do."

Asumi looked at her daughter with concern, "Kagome, I don't know if that is such a good idea. I don't want you to be alone. What if he breaks into your apartment when you're alone? What will you do then?"

Sesshoumaru was listening to the two females as he got an idea, "If Kagome agrees, she can come and stay with me. I will protect her from Inuyasha. He won't come out to my estate. My barriers will prevent him from entering my home. Your daughter will be safe with me."

Asumi looked at her daughter and said, "Kagome, I will feel better if you have someone with you. If Sesshoumaru can protect you then why don't you go with him? I'm sure that you will be well taken care of."

Kagome considered Sesshoumaru's words as she looked at her mother, "I will consider it. But I still want to go to my apartment. I have some things that I need to get."

Kagome felt herself being held tightly as she was lifted off Sesshoumaru's lap. "I will take her back to her apartment so she can get some of her clothes, and then I will take her to my home. I will have her call you in the morning when she is more coherent. I can tell that she is tired and not making decisions clearly. I will ensure that she stays safe tonight, then she can make up her mind on what she wants to do in the morning.

"I want to thank you for inviting me over and for the wonderful meal you have given me. I have enjoyed my evening with all of you."

Asumi smiled at Sesshoumaru as she said her goodnight to him. She told him where Kagome's apartment was located as she saw him form a golden orb around his body and take off into the night sky. She had a feeling that she was going to be welcoming Sesshoumaru into her family very soon. She could tell that Kagome held feelings for him and it will be only a matter of time before they mated.

This was acceptable to her. She and the other priest and priestess can keep a track of what Sesshoumaru was doing around the country. Her daughter will keep her informed of what she was doing and when they were going to be out of the area so they could set their plans in motion.

She knew that her daughter would never use the powers she was gifted with, so handing her over to Sesshoumaru was a no brainer. They could use her to keep a track of the demon lord so they can find the one person who would be able to help them fight against the Youkai. They have yet to find the supreme earth miko but when they did the Youkai's rule will be over.

Asumi sighed as she closed the door and went to her room. It has been a long day and she needed to rest. She was hoping to see the demon lord soon asking for her daughters hand in marriage.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru arrived at the building where Kagome lived. He walked through the lobby as he made his way over to the elevator and got in. He pressed the button for the fifth floor as they rode it up in silence. When the elevator dinged, he got off and walked down to the door that belonged to Kagome. He looked down at her and whispered in her ear, "Kagome, we are at your apartment, do you have your keys?"

Kagome nodded as he set her on her feet. When she looked down she noticed that her shirt was ripped to pieces. She did her best to hold it close as she opened the door and turned the lights on. She walked in, allowing Sesshoumaru to follow her into the apartment.

Sesshoumaru found that her apartment was beautifully done. It was not overwhelmed with furniture but it was comfortable. Her scent was everywhere as it calmed his inner inu down. He saw his female walk towards her bedroom and the door, to his surprise, was left open.

He stood where he was as he waited for her to get done in the bedroom. Then he started to pick up the scent of salt water in the air. He made his way to the bedroom door and looked in. He noticed Kagome sitting on the floor, in the middle of her bedroom, crying.

Walking into the room, he kneeled behind her, while he wrapped his arms around the girl. He held her tightly in his arms as he folded his body around hers to shield her from the world. He will protect his chosen mate with his life as he offered her his strength to get through her torment.

-oOo-

Kagome walked into her room as she looked for another shirt to wear. She could not believe what Inuyasha tried to do to her. _'Why would he force himself on me? He has already chosen another female to be with, so why is he doing this to me? What am I going to do? He… He… He almost raped me if it wasn't for Sesshoumaru coming to my rescue…' _

Tears started to form in Kagome's eyes as she fell to her knees in the middle of her room. Her whole body shook with the force of her tears as she thought about what could have happen if Sesshoumaru was not there with her.

She felt strong arms going around her body as she was pulled into a strong chest. She felt safe here in his arms and protected. She continued to cry until she ran out of tears. Slowly she stopped as she whispered, "I don't understand why he is doing this to me. He was the one who was unfaithful, so why is he doing this?"

Sesshoumaru continued to hold Kagome as he heard her words. He tried to soothe her as he responded, "He does not know how to take rejection. He thinks it's all right for him to have concubines and still mate with you. I have no idea who he has been talking to but they have filled his head full of nonsense."

Then Sesshoumaru felt a sense of regret, "I'm sorry Kagome. You should have never been put through this."

Kagome heard his words and was confused, "Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything to me."

Sesshoumaru took in a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "Inuyasha is my half brother. As the eldest of my father's sons it is my responsibility if the whelp steps out of line. He has disgraced our father's memory with what he did. But I'm afraid that the only way to get through Inuyasha's thick skull is for you to be mated to someone else. Then his inner inu will realize that you are no longer his."

Kagome stilled in his arms. She was shocked to learn that Inuyasha was Sesshoumaru's half brother. She noticed the resemblance in the two but did not think that they were actually related. She was so confused on what to do. She felt safe and protected in Sesshoumaru's arms, something that she never felt with Inuyasha. She stayed there not moving thinking about what she should do.

Sesshoumaru didn't know if Inuyasha being his brother will ruin his chances with her. He held her tighter in his arms as he whispered into her ear, "Kagome, come with me. Stay at my home and I will protect you until you decide what you want to do. If you wish to return to my brother, then that will be your choice." The moment he said that Kagome became angry with him.

"There is no way in hell that I will go back to him. I can never trust him to be true to me. He has already proven that he is not trustworthy." Kagome was breathing hard as she replied to Sesshoumaru's statement. How could she go back to that cheating bastard!

Sesshoumaru, stunned by her outburst tried another approach, "Then come with me. I will protect you no matter what. You have my word that I will not do anything that you do not want me to. At least come with me until I have dealt with the idiot so he will never come after you again."

Kagome sighed. She knew that he was right. Inuyasha will not give up and he will come after her no matter where she was. The only place she felt safe was with Sesshoumaru so she made up her mind, "Very well, I will go with you. I know that he will not give up on me that easily. I feel safest when I'm with you." She brought her arms up as she held on to him, leaning into his body.

Sesshoumaru's inner inu was overwhelmed with what their chosen female said, she considered him her protector and he swelled with pride. He will protect her but it was also his chance to see if she will accept him as a mate.

He stood, bringing Kagome with him and stated, "Kagome, you should gather some clothes to take with you. I want you to stay with me until this is all over."

Kagome moved out of his embrace as she gathered some clothes and put them in a bag. She grabbed her laptop as she turned to Sesshoumaru, saying, "I'm ready."

Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome, raising an elegant eyebrow, he stated, "Kagome, don't you think you should put on another shirt? I don't mind seeing you that way but I don't think you want others to see your breast."

Kagome looked down and noticed that she has not changed her shirt as of yet. Her breasts were fully exposed for everyone to see, blushing a bright red, she dropped her bags, and raised her arms to cover her chest, while she ran into her closet. She came out a few minutes later with a warm sweater.

Sesshoumaru then took the bags out of her hands as she put on her coat and they left her apartment. She made sure it was secured as they made their way back downstairs.

Sesshoumaru grabbed Kagome once more as he formed his golden orb and took off into the night. They were heading back towards his mansion at a fast clip.

They never noticed the golden eyes of the hanyou as he observed his brother leaving with his bitch. He vowed that he will get her back as he took off into the night following his brother to his home.

-oOo-

I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

Until the next time

Jani!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

By the time Sesshoumaru made it back to his home, Kagome had fallen asleep in his arms. It has been a busy day for her as he picked her up and walked into his mansion. He went straight to his bedroom. He was not about to let Kagome out of his sight until he has dealt with his brother.

When he got to his room he placed her bags on the floor near the dresser and made his way over to his bed. He sat down, with her in his lap, and then took off her coat. She shivered when she felt the warmth of the coat leave her body as she snuggled closer to Sesshoumaru, for warmth.

Sesshoumaru smiled when he felt her move closer to him. He needed to wake her so she could get ready for bed. He did not want to undress her again. He could not afford for her to get mad at him and ruin his chances with her. He nuzzled her neck, giving her a wet lick. She started to stir and slowly opened her eyes.

Kagome was having a really good dream. She was sitting in the middle of a clearing in Sesshoumaru's lap, looking at the stars. Then she felt something warm and wet on her neck as she opened her eyes. She saw Sesshoumaru staring at her when she heard him say, "Kagome, you need to change so you can go to bed. I will start the fire to warm the room."

Kagome nodded her sleepy head as she sat up and looked for her bag. She saw it near the dresser and made her way there. She grabbed her bag and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Sesshoumaru saw her stagger off to the bathroom as he went to start the fire. Once he had the fire going, he heard the door to the bathroom opening and saw Kagome walking back into the room. She was wearing warm Winnie the Pooh pajamas while he smiled at her choice of clothing.

Kagome looked around the room and found Sesshoumaru near the fire. She noticed the smile on his face as he stared at her. She blushed, he was looking at her pajamas, as she said in a huff, "What? I happen to like Winnie the Pooh."

Sesshoumaru laughed at her remark and made his way towards her. When he reached her he put his arms around her body and said, "Why don't you go to bed, I will be here when you wake in the morning."

Kagome looked at him with concern, "Where are you going to sleep?"

"I don't need to sleep, so I will be keeping watch while you rest. I will not let anyone harm you." Sesshoumaru said as he released her and pushed her towards the bed. When she stood there just looking at him, he picked her up and placed her in bed, placing the covers over her to keep her warm. Then he turned, walking into the bathroom to get cleaned up.

Kagome looked on as Sesshoumaru left the room. It bothered her that he will be staying up all night just watching her. She tried to close her eyes to sleep but she found that she couldn't rest. Her mind was a jumbled mess as she tried to sort out her feelings for the Youkai she was with.

Sesshoumaru came back into the room wearing his pajamas. This time he had on a shirt when he noticed that Kagome was still awake. He walked over to the bed, sitting down next to her, "Kagome what's wrong? Can't you sleep?"

Kagome looked up, "No, I can't, can you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

Sesshoumaru agreed, moving the covers and sliding in right next to her. He brought her into his embrace, moving her body closer to his while his tail moved to cover her. She fitted perfectly into his body as he felt her relax. Her breathing evened out after a while as she finally fell asleep.

Her scent was relaxing Sesshoumaru as his eyes slowly started to close. He fell asleep snuggled against Kagome body. His inner Inu was at peace with his chosen female, wrapped tightly in his arms.

-oOo-

A few hours later Sesshoumaru woke up to a thrashing Kagome. She was fighting to get out of his arms as he fought against her. He felt her powers growing and if he didn't do something soon, she will purify him from the face of the earth.

He heard her yelling, "Get off me Inuyasha! I don't want to be your mate! Sesshoumaru! Help me please!" Sesshoumaru heart skipped a beat when he heard her calling for him. She wanted him to keep her safe and protected.

Sesshoumaru flared his youki as it engulfed the female in his arms. His fangs grew in size while he grabbed her by the back of the neck to keep her still. His left hand went around her waist as he pulled her nightshirt up.

Slowly his hand started to rub her stomach, up and down in a firm but soothing motion.

Kagome stilled immediately in his arms, soothed by what he was doing to her.

Sesshoumaru continued to rub her stomach as it calmed his mate down. It was an ancient Inu custom that if a female was uncontrollable or in dourest the male will rub their stomach until they stilled. It paralyzed their body until they calmed down and rested once more.

Kagome breathing finally evened out as she fell into a deep sleep. The feeling that Sesshoumaru invoked in her was soothing as she relaxed in his arms. Soon she was sleeping soundly again as Sesshoumaru continued to rub her stomach. He kept watch for a little while to make sure that she did not have any more nightmares.

Sesshoumaru leaned down and nuzzled her neck as he said in a soft baritone voice, "I will always keep you safe. I will protect and love you for the rest of my life my little mate."

Sesshoumaru thought that Kagome was deeply asleep but he was wrong, she heard his words as warmth came over her body. Kagome shifted in his arms as she turned to face him. She then brought her arms up and wrapped them around Sesshoumaru's chest, cuddling into his body. She sighed in contentment as she whispered, "I love you too Sesshoumaru." And fell asleep for the rest of the night.

Nothing could stop the joy that Sesshoumaru felt when he heard those five words uttered to him. She loved him and that's all he wanted. He made up his mind that in the morning he will ask her to be his mate. He loved her and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

Sesshoumaru could not believe how quickly everything was happening. It's only been a day but he felt that he has known her for an eternity. He did not think that when he found his mate he would move this quickly to have her for his own. But now that he has actually found her he did not want to lose her to another.

He held her closer to his chest as he breathed in deeply, taking in her scent. He relaxed and fell asleep, holding his future in his arms, and thinking about all the things they will be doing together.

-oOo-

The next morning Kagome slowly woke from her slumber. She woke up to the feeling of warmth and safety, something that she thought she will never experience. She remembered that Sesshoumaru kept her safe. Even in her own nightmares he came to her rescue. She never felt this way before, not even being with Inuyasha.

She gave a big yawn as she hugged what was in her arms even closer to her face. She rubbed her face into something warm and soft but also firm.

She took in the fragrant smell of the forest as she groaned. Kami that scent was heavenly to her senses. Then she felt the vibration of what she was holding as she slowly opened her eyes. When her eyes came into focus she noticed that she was holding on to something blue. She pulled away from what she thought was her pillow as she looked up.

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she realized that she was cuddling next to Sesshoumaru. Her cheeks were turning red with embarrassment as she tried to pull away to save some of her dignity. But something was preventing her from leaving his embrace as she looked behind her.

She noticed that his tail was holding her closer to Sesshoumaru's body. It was slowly snaking its way around her waist as she looked up at Sesshoumaru. She saw his honey golden eyes as she swallowed hard. Then she said in a stuttering voice, "Goo… Goo… Good morning Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru's tail then pulled Kagome up higher on the bed until she was eye level with him. She looked into his eyes and saw, what she thought, was fear in them. _'What is he afraid of?'_ Kagome thought to herself as they stared at each other.

Sesshoumaru heard her greeting as he nuzzled her neck and said, "Good morning Kagome. Did you sleep well?"

Kagome swallowed hard. It was hard not to be turned on by the sexy Youkai she was lying in bed with. His warm breath was hitting her neck as he came closer to her to rub his nose there. A shiver went down her spine as she tried to answer. "Y…Y…Y… Yes I slept wonderfully. Thank you for staying with me last night. You helped relax me so I could fall asleep."

Kagome heard the gentle purr coming from his chest as she relaxed in his hold. She made up her mind last night that she will not fight her fate. She knew that it has only been a couple of days since she met Sesshoumaru but she was drawn to him in a way that she could not explain. Her soul called for his with every ounce of fiber of her being. She felt that he completed her and she will never find anyone else to make her feel the way she does now.

Sesshoumaru pulled away from her neck as he looked at her. He breathed in deeply, and got ready to ask her his question. He hoped that she will not reject him. He has been looking for her for so long and now that he has found her he could not live without her for another day.

He readied himself as he said, "Kagome I have something that I want to ask you. I don't want you to interrupt me until I'm done."

Kagome agreed to his request when she saw the seriousness in his eyes. Whatever he has to ask her it was clear that it was important to him. So she waited patiently for him to ask his question.

Sesshoumaru saw her agreement to his request, and then began to speak, "Kagome, I have been alone for a very long time. I have searched high and low for a female that is my match. Someone that will complete me in every way, but I have yet to find her.

"A few centuries ago I helped a priest when he was in need. When we were about to part company he told me that he felt the loneliness that was in my heart. He told me not to lose hope that I will find my mate when the moon was full and that when I saw her I will know that she was for me.

"I continued to look for this female, but she never came. Then two nights ago you came into my life when I was feeling the loneliest I have ever felt in my entire existence. My inner Inu was restless, so I was standing on the balcony just looking at the stars when I saw a pink orb streaking across the sky.

"I knew that it was about to land, and my curiosity got the better of me, so I followed. I landed close to the pink orb, when I noticed that there was a powerful barrier around the area and when I got rid of it I found you.

"I thought that the Kami's have finally taken pity on me and brought you to me. At first I thought that it was all a dream. Being alone for so long I thought that I was imagining it. But when I woke up the next morning, to find you here in my bed, I knew that it was real.

"My inner Inu has never reacted to any female. But you my sweet Kagome have made my beast stir from within. He is infatuated with you and when you accepted him for what he is, he accepted you as his mate. I for one will not argue with him for I have fallen in love with you. I have looked for you for so long that now that I have found you, I don't want to lose you.

"What I'm trying to say is, could you find it in your heart to accept me as your mate? I pledge my love and fidelity to you for all eternity, if you will accept me."

Kagome was blown away by his confession. She never knew that he was the one that has been waiting centuries to find her. Yes, she had her suspicions about him but she didn't have any proof. Then the voice that she heard, while she was in the pink orb, came back to her. She spoke the truth. Sesshoumaru was the male that she was told about.

Her eyes began to water as she looked at Sesshoumaru. She saw his fear for being rejected as she answered, "Oh Sesshoumaru, you have no idea how this makes me feel. For a long time I have been looking for someone to love me unconditionally and pledge their fidelity to me. I thought that I found it with Inuyasha but all he wanted was my body. He really didn't love me the way I wanted to be loved.

"And last night when he attacked me, the only thing that I could think of was to call for you, because I knew you would come and protect me. All I ever wanted was to be loved and protected.

"Promise to love me for all eternity, promise me that you will always be by my side and never forsake me for another. I, in turn, will give you my pledge to love you for the rest of your life and all eternity. I will be faithful to you as your mate."

Sesshoumaru's heart leaped with joy when he heard her declaration. He wrapped his arms even tighter around her as he whispered, "I will love you until the end of time." He kissed her with such passion that it took Kagome's breath away.

Pulling away from her perfect lips, Sesshoumaru continued to kiss down her jaw line as he licked the side of her neck. Then he whispered, "I want to give you my courting mark. This mark will protect you from anyone wishing to harm you. It will prevent any male from getting close to you if you do not wish it. Plus, it will alert me if you need me and when I feel its pull I will be by your side within seconds."

Kagome agreed to let him mark her with his courting mark. She knew that with him being a full blooded Youkai his mark will be more powerful than Inuyasha's. She will not be able to put her spell on his mark because it would not work. He was much too powerful for it. Plus with Sesshoumaru she did not feel the need for it. She knew in her heart that he was the one for her.

With her consent Sesshoumaru then lowered his head as he found the junction between her neck and shoulder. He started to lap at it to get the area ready. He heard Kagome moan as he paid attention to her neck.

Sesshoumaru's inner Inu was very happy that their female has consented to be their mate. His eyes flashed red, and then they slowly started to turn white as his inner Inu came forth, he will be the one to mark their mate. His fangs grew longer as he said "MINE!" Then he proceeded to bury his fangs deep into her shoulder marking her as his.

Kagome almost screamed in pain when he buried his fangs into her neck. She was breathing hard trying to control the pain she was in. Then she felt when he removed his fangs and started to lap at her wounds. She relaxed into his arms as the pain from his bite was slowly going away.

Sesshoumaru continued to pay attention to the wound he inflicted to his future mate. He made sure to close her wound and lap up the blood that was spilt. She was now his all that remained for him to do was to claim her as his mate. He knew that she was not ready for a mating, but his mark will protect her from any male wanting to get close to take what was his.

He moved his head up once her wounds were sealed as he gently caressed behind her ear. He heard her give a throaty moan as her arousal went through the roof. She was turned on by his simple caress as he smiled wickedly. This was his chance to learn all the places that his future mate liked to be touched.

_**-Warning Strong Lime, Light Lemon-**_

He caressed the area behind her ear again as he felt her convulse in his arms. He continued with what he was doing as his left hand was busy unbuttoning the front of her shirt.

When he was done his hand slipped in and found her perky breast. He was right, it did fit perfectly into the palm of his hand while he gently caressed it. His fingers found her nipple, he took it between this thumb and forefinger and pinched it. He rolled it around and around until it became hard for him.

He lowered his head as his lips kissed its way down to her chest. He nipped, kissed, and licked almost every inch of her exposed skin as he found what he was looking for. His tongue came out as he rolled it around the caramel peak until it became extended.

His mate arched her back into his face, moving her chest closer to his mouth. He knew that she was in pain, and what good mate will leave his female in this condition. It was his duty to make sure that she was pleased and never go looking for another to do it for him.

He continued to run his tongue around her harden numb as he finally brought it into his mouth. He began to suckle as he relished the taste of her. She tasted wonderfully, sweet like honey but with a slight taste of cinnamon.

He brought his arm around her body as he held her even closer to his chest. Her tiny hands were laced in his hair, when her fingers found the back of his neck. She was gently running her nails across the skin making him shiver in delight.

He shivered at the feeling he got from her actions. His member was getting harder by the minute as the pain increased in his loins. He concentrated on the matter at hand as he turned to the other breast and gave it just as much attention as he did the first.

He moved his other hand down the curves of her hips as he hooked his fingers on her pajama bottoms and slowly started to move them down her long and beautiful legs. He felt her start to protest his movement but he found another area that she loved to be caressed and her protest died on her lips.

The last piece of her clothes came off her body as he moved to lay her on her back. He continued to ravish her body with attention. Not once did his lips ever leave her skin, as he tasted every inch of her that he could get his lips on.

Slowly he was making his way down her body to the source of her scent. Her scent was the strongest down here as he continued his descent. He noticed right away that she kept her feminine area neat and trimmed and it turned him on even more.

He pushed her legs apart, settling his body between her thighs. His hand found her stomach again, he started to rub it like he did the night before. It soothed their mate so she could relax and feel what he was doing to her. He wanted her to be submissive as he found all the places that she loved to be caressed.

Slowly his body slipped down the bed as he finally made it to where her scent was the strongest. He paused for a minute as he took a deep breath. It was heavenly to his senses that he could not believe that she produced such a wonderful fragrance.

He could not wait any longer. He needed to find out if she tasted as good as she smelled. His tongue came out of his mouth as he took his first taste of her essence. The taste was incredible, she tasted like apples, sweet and pure, with a slight flavor of spices mixed in.

He wanted all of her juices and he was not going to stop until he got it.

Kagome didn't know why she was letting Sesshoumaru have his way with her body. She tried several times to stop him but he always found a spot that made her body tremble with want and desire. She has never felt like this before and she wanted more.

She felt when he left her breast and was moving down her body. His hot breath was right there in her most secret of places. She didn't know what he was going to do next when she felt a hot wet tongue lap at her there.

Her breathing sped up then she noticed him shift as he opened his eyes and looked right at her. His eyes were blood red when his lips descended on her again and made her body shiver with desire.

She threw her head back and screamed her joy. He was making that knot in her stomach go tighter and tighter. She was now moving her hip in time to what he was doing, never forgetting the sensation that he was invoking in her body.

Her body reacted to his administration making her pant even harder. She was finding it hard to breathe while he continued with his actions. She finally reached her limit as the muscles started to contract and she screamed, "SESSHOUMARU!"

Sesshoumaru pulled away from her as he cleaned his lips of her juices. She finally settled down and she was breathing hard from what he did. He crawled up her body as he kissed her. He now knew all of her favorite places to be caressed and he enjoyed bringing her to her peak.

He brought her into his arms, turning them to lay on their side, while he held her. Her breathing evened out as she slowly opened her eyes once again.

Kagome has never experienced anything like that. He made her body sing and brought her such pleasures that she thought that she had died and gone to heaven. If this was just a taste of her life with him then she wanted more. She will never go to another male if he paid this much attention to her.

Kagome slowly brought her arms up as she snuggled into Sesshoumaru's embrace. She pressed her body to his and noticed that he was as hard as a rock. A wicked thought came to her mind, as she thought turnabout is fair play. He gifted her with pleasure so she decided to repay the favor.

She snuggled deeper into his chest as she brought her arms around and gently caressed his back. Her hands moved under his shirt, they were running up and down his smooth skin, when she felt something very soft and ran her fingers over them again.

She felt Sesshoumaru shiver in her arms while his breath hitched, whatever it was that she found, it excited him because he was even harder than before.

Her hands slowly went down to his backside as she put her hands into his pants and caressed his butt cheeks. They were firm in her hands while her nails gently scratched the skin. One of her hands slowly moved as they started to tug the pants down from his waist.

Sesshoumaru was about to protest her movement because he did not know if he could remain in control if he lost his clothes. He stopped all train of thought when he felt her delicate little hands wrap around his enlarged member.

Kagome knew that Sesshoumaru was about to pull away from her when she finally found what she was looking for. He was not being cooperative in taking off his clothes. It didn't matter to her, as she moved his pants down low enough to find what she was looking for.

She wrapped her hand around his large manhood as she gently stroked him. She heard him growl deep in his chest while she continued to caress him with her hand. Her other hand was busy undoing the buttons of his shirt, when she was finally done she moved the shirt out of her way. She found his male nipples as her mouth and tongue gently moved over them.

His nipples extended until they were hard under her tongue as she wrapped her lips around them and started to suckle. He did such a wonderful job with her own breast that she was going to show him what he could have done to make it even better.

Kagome used her teeth and gently bit his nipples. Her tongue moved over his nipple while she held it firmly in her teeth. Then she took it all in her mouth as she sucked hard making Sesshoumaru howl in ecstasy.

Sesshoumaru had no idea what was going through Kagome's mind but KAMI! Did it ever feel good. He was panting hard as every nerve ending in his body came alive. He felt her little hand still moving on his member as he rocked his hips in time with her movements.

After Kagome paid enough attention to his male nipples she slowly went down. She felt when he was moving his hips in time with her strokes. Her hands moved in time with his hips as she continued to go faster.

Sesshoumaru was panting hard. Kagome's movements upon his manhood were making him lose control. He was about to stop her but it was too late. He howled as he came hard. She continued to pump him until he relinquished every drop of his precious liquid and slowly pulled away from him.

Sesshoumaru was breathing hard as he opened his eyes to gaze upon his mate. His beast has chosen well for she was a spitfire when her passion was aroused. She could give as well as she takes and he was in heaven.

-_**End of Lime**_-

He pulled her up towards his chest as he kissed her hard. When he finally pulled away from her he said, "Thank you mate, you really didn't have to do that."

Kagome smiled as she stated, "Oh yes I did, I couldn't leave you like that. What kind of person will I be if I left you in that condition? You will never leave me wanting and I'm certainly not about to leave you in the same condition."

Sesshoumaru held her in his arms for a few more minutes. Then he sat up taking her with him. He shifted Kagome into his arms as he stood and went into the bathroom to get cleaned up.

They spent a good portion of the morning bathing each other, as they got familiar with each other's bodies. Then they went into the hot tub and relaxed for a while.

Sesshoumaru was content holding Kagome in his lap as he gently stroked her back. Kagome, for her part, could not be happier than to be in his arms. She loved the feelings that Sesshoumaru stirred in her body and she was truly happy for the first time in her life.

They finally left Sesshoumaru's bedroom as they went down to eat. Kagome cooked their breakfast as she made bacon, pancakes, eggs, and coffee. They ate in silence enjoying each other's company.

For the next few weeks this was the way that Kagome and Sesshoumaru would start their day. With gentle caresses and playful banter, they would each find love in the caresses of each other's bodies. During the day they will each torment the other as they would sneak in and attack, while one of them was busy working on something.

Kagome more times than not found herself being pinned under the amorous Inu Youkai as they played their games and then disappeared without a word to each other. At night they would always go to bed together as they slept in each other's arms.

Sesshoumaru kept her safe from her dreams of torment, of the former love that betrayed her. Soon her dreams were no more as new ones kept her mind occupied.

It was one week before Christmas and Kagome was thinking about what she could get for the male in her life. She did not have a clue what to get him as she went and got her laptop and then went into the kitchen.

She set her laptop on the table as she started her computer. She pulled her cell phone out of her bag and turned it on. She wanted to see if she had a signal, if she found a signal then she will be able to plug in her WiFi and connect to the web. It was a wonderful devise, it would let her connect from any location, as long as there was a strong signal nearby.

Her phone came to life as she saw that there was a strong signal, she turned to her computer, plugging in her card, and started her connection into the World Wide Web.

Then she heard a beep as she turned her attention to her cell phone and saw that she had 20 messages. She has not turned on her phone since she has been with Sesshoumaru. She was on vacation from work, so there was no reason to be available. Her mother knew where she was located in case she needed her.

Kagome picked up her phone as she looked to see who called her. Almost all the calls were from Inuyasha. She huffed as she erased all of his calls. She had no desire to hear what he had to say. She knew it will be lies anyway, plus she found the one she was meant to be with. She will not give up Sesshoumaru to go with him.

The last call she saw was from Sango. Her eyes opened wide as she felt ashamed for not calling and letting her know that she was doing fine. She heard her computer ding signaling that it got its connection as she quickly typed on her keyboard.

She made her connection to her office to see what was going on. There were messages from just about everyone telling her that they needed to speak to her. Kagome wondered what was going on, that they were looking for her.

She decided to call Sango and find out. She was her secretary and she will know why they wanted her. Kagome braced herself as she dialed Sango's number. It rang once as she heard Sango on the other end of the line. "Hi Sango, what's up?"

The next thing Kagome did was pull the phone away from her ear as she heard her friend yelling, "KAGOME WHERE IN THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN? You had me worried sick. It's been 3 weeks since you disappeared and we have been looking everywhere for you! WHERE IN THE HELL ARE YOU?"

Kagome sighed, "Sango calm down. I'm fine. I have been staying with someone who is very dear to me. He has taken very good care of me. He found me shortly after I landed and that pink orb disappeared. I have been staying with him because Inuyasha tried to…"

Sango heard the hesitation in Kagome's voice, "He tried to do what, Kagome?"

Tears were forming in Kagome's eyes as she finally answered her question, "He tried to rape me."

Kagome was almost in tears as she relayed the information to her best friend. It was hard to even think that Inuyasha would go to such extremes.

Sango was shocked to hear this, her anger was fanned anew, she wanted to go and thrash Inuyasha for trying something like that with her best friend. She shook her head to clear her mind, she will deal with the hanyou later.

Right now she had other issues she had to tell Kagome about and she was not going to like it, "Kagome, I'm sorry. I didn't know what happened to you and I was worried sick. But now that I know you are doing fine, you need to get your ass in here. Yoshimaru is about to put the new product that the company developed down the drain. He has rejected every marketing strategy that you have approved and has incorporate his own ideas on how to market it. We tried to tell him that his ideas stink but he won't listen."

Kagome was getting pissed as every word Sango said sunk in. Yoshimaru has been a thorn in her side ever since she became president of marketing. _'So Yoshimaru thinks that he can put the blame on me for the product failing to sell, if I'm not there to stop him. Well it's about time that I fire his ass.'_

Kagome turned her attention back to Sango, "Sango, call a meeting of all the department directors. Set it up for 2 pm and I will be there. Don't let on that I have been notified of the situation and that I'm the one who called the meeting. Have those loyal to me there and I will correct everything that Yoshimaru has done up to this point. His employment at Goyo is over. He has proven that he cannot be trusted when left temporarily in charge, I will deal with him when I come in."

Sango agreed to her request as she hung up with Kagome. Kagome closed her cell phone as she looked at the clock. It was 10 am. She has 4 hours to get to Tokyo, go to her apartment, get suitable clothing, and make it to this meeting. But first she has to tell Sesshoumaru that she has to go to work. This was not going to be easy.

Kagome turned off her laptop and put it back in its case. Then she left the kitchen as she went to Sesshoumaru's study. She hoped that he was in a good mood.

Sesshoumaru was working on his computer when he heard a knock on his door. He wondered why Kagome would be knocking instead of just coming in like she usually did. He could feel her anxiety and frustration. He was wondering what has upset her as he said, "Come in Kagome."

Kagome slowly opened the door and walked into Sesshoumaru's study. He appeared to be in a good mood, "Um, Sesshoumaru I need to go back to Tokyo." Before she could continue with what she was trying to say. Sesshoumaru was in front of her as she heard him say, "Kagome, why do you want to leave? Have I done something to upset you?"

Kagome blinked her eyes in confusion, "Sesshoumaru, calm down, I need to go back because I have problems at work. You have done nothing to upset me Anata. I have to go back to deal with an employee who thinks that he is the head of marketing. He has disregarded my decisions on my marketing strategy for a new product and he is going to try and blame me for its failure. I have called a meeting for 2 pm today so I need to go back to Tokyo, go to my apartment, get dressed, and then go to this meeting."

Sesshoumaru understood what his mate was saying. He brought her into his arms as he nuzzled her. "All right, I can take you back, we can stay at my Tokyo apartment, that way we don't have to travel so far to get home. I also need to go into work and get some things taken care of."

Kagome didn't know that he had an apartment in Tokyo. "Where do you live in the city?"

Sesshoumaru smiled as he said, "On the top floor of Taisho Corp. I use it when I have to work late and don't want to travel out here. I only come here on the weekends when I need to get away from the city."

Kagome was shocked to hear this, _'That's not an apartment, that's a penthouse!'_ She looked at the male in front of her and she could not believe what she has gotten herself into. But she agreed as they both got ready to leave his mansion.

It took them an hour to reach the city. They both walked into her apartment building together as they went up to her apartment. When they got there Kagome opened the door as she walked in and told Sesshoumaru to make himself at home until she changed.

Sesshoumaru sat down on the couch and waited for his mate to get dressed. When Kagome was finished she walked out in a dark blue, form fitting, business suit with a light blue silk shirt. She was wearing pants, which delighted Sesshoumaru. He did not want her showing off her beautiful legs to anyone.

He got up from the couch as he pulled her into his arms and whispered, "You look beautiful. I never knew that my mate was so successful."

Kagome giggled, "Well what did you think I did for a living? No one can have an apartment like this in the city if they were not successful. I'm the youngest Marketing president at Goyo."

Sesshoumaru eyes opened wide in shock, "So you are the genius behind that company?"

Kagome was confused by his remark, "Genius behind the company? What are you talking about Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head while he looked at his mate, "For years now I have been unable to find out who the marketing genius is behind Goyo. You have caught the attention of every business corporation in the area, with what you have been able to do to sell a product. I for one was trying to find out who you were so I could steal you away from Goyo. I could use someone with your skills at my company to help me market some of our latest developments. The ones that I have now are idiots."

Kagome blushed at his compliments as she moved to get her purse. She put her coat back on as they walked out of her apartment and walked towards her office. When they finally got to the building, in which Kagome worked, Sesshoumaru whispered, "Kagome, when you are done for the day call me on my cell phone and I will come and get you. We can go out to dinner before we go home tonight."

Kagome smiled as she leaned up and kissed him just under his chin, "All right. When I'm done I'll call you. I'll see you later mate."

Sesshoumaru was shocked when he heard her words. It was the first time that she has acknowledged that he was her mate. His inner Inu swelled with pride at their chosen female. He kissed her lips as he slowly pulled away and let her go into the building. He had a strange feeling that something was going to happen today but he didn't understand what it might be.

He shook his head as he got an idea and went to see Kagome's mother. He had some questions and he knew that her mother could help him. He formed his orb of light as he vanished and streaked across the sky towards the shrine.

-oOo-

Kagome quickly made her way into the elevator and punched the number for her floor. She quickly walked towards her office as she passed by Sango.

Sango saw Kagome walk right by her desk as she went into her office. She got up and followed as she closed the door behind her. She then rushed to her friend as she caught Kagome in a big bear hug. "Oh, how I have missed you Kagome."

Kagome returned her hug as she slowly pulled away from her friend and asked her to fill her in. Sango sat down in the chair in front of Kagome's desk as she went down the list of what has been going on since she has been gone.

Kagome listened to everything that Sango was saying and then made her decision. "Sango has the meeting been set up?"

"Yes Kagome, the meeting is schedule for 2 pm in the conference room." Sango answered with confidence. Now that Kagome was back everything will go back to normal in this place.

Ever since Kagome decided to take some time off, prior to getting married, some of the individuals that have been jealous of her accomplishments have been trying to bring her down. They were using this time to tamper with her marketing plans and they were about to get a rude awakening. Sango could tell that Kagome was angry and an angry Kagome was a dangerous one.

Kagome looked at her clock as she saw that she only had 15 minutes left before the meeting started. "Sango, go and prepare the room. Make sure that I have all the troublemakers in there. I'm about to put order in this place and a few will be looking for new jobs after today." Kagome reached for her phone as she saw Sango smile at her and walk out of her office.

Sango was in the conference room when everyone that was supposed to be there started to show up. They had no idea who called the meeting but they hoped that it was a short one. They all had things to do and did not want to be there in the first place.

Several of the directors for their departments were already seated and waiting when one of them asked, "Hey Sango! Who called this meeting?"

Sango looked up from what she was doing, stating, "I have no idea. All I was told was to get the conference room ready for a 2 pm meeting."

Yoshimaru was the last to enter the conference room as he took his seat at the head of the table. He automatically assumed that was his place to sit. Sango huffed as she said, "I wouldn't sit there if I were you."

Yoshimaru looked up with his piercing green eyes, replying, "And why wouldn't I sit here? Higurashi is not here so I'm head of the marketing department."

A new voice answered him from the door as all in the room turned to see who arrived, "Because even if I'm not here that is still my seat and you don't belong in it. NOW MOVE!"

Yoshimaru did not waste any time in moving as he profusely apologized to Kagome.

Kagome walked into the conference room as the door was closed and there was silence in the room. No one spoke as they waited to see what their boss wanted.

Kagome turned her icy blue eyes to everyone in the room. She took her rightful place at the head of the table and sat down. "All right let's start this meeting. I want a report on the latest marketing progress for our new product. Tamashi, I want you to go first."

Everyone in the room squirmed in their seat as they looked at Kagome. They did not have the reports that she wanted because they were told not to do them. Tamashi was sweating as he answered, "Higurashi-sama I have no progress reports for you."

Kagome raised her eyebrow in response to his statement, "And why is that?"

"Because… because… because Yoshimaru told us not to go with your marketing plan. He has chosen a new one and to tell you the truth it's not very good." Responded Tamashi as he squirmed in his seat.

Each of Kagome's directors gave her the same thing. None of her ideas have been put into motion because Yoshimaru chose not to go with them.

Kagome turned her heated eyes toward Yoshimaru, "Why were my directives not followed Yoshimaru?"

Yoshimaru never really liked working for a woman. He thought that he was better suited to be president than this female. She was a no body and she came up through the ranks and took his job away from him. He has spent years working here and was the right hand man to the previous president and when he retired he expected to be promoted into that spot. But here comes this female that took his job away from him.

He turned his heated eyes towards Kagome as he replied, "I didn't think that your marketing plan was very good. My idea will reach more people and the product will take off better."

Kagome raised an eyebrow at him as she looked at everyone in the room. Then she said, "I want to see the statistics for the current marketing plan for this product." Each of the directors gave their reports. Yoshimaru strategy was not very good and it was only hitting the top 10 percent of the population in Tokyo. She needed to hit all levels of the population if they were going to make money.

Kagome then turned to Yoshimaru who had a smug look on his face. He was happy with the numbers, "Those numbers are not good enough. We are only appealing to 10 percent of the population and we need to be more diversified. I want my strategy to be implemented immediately. I want to know when everything goes out and the numbers that are seeing our ads. Then I want to know how fast our product is moving off the shelves. If my numbers are higher than yours, Yoshimaru, you can pack your desk up because you will be fired for going against my orders."

Yoshimaru jumped to his feet as he yelled, "You can't fire me! I have seniority here in this company. I have worked for Goyo for over 20 years and no snot nose kid is going to get rid of me that easy."

At that moment the owner of the company walked into the conference room. He has been listening to everything being said and he was not happy. He hired this little spitfire because she knew her stuff. With her as the head of his marketing department he has made more money than he has ever made before.

Mr. Owaki turned his heated gaze toward Yoshimaru, "I will stand by Kagome's evaluation. If her marketing strategy is better than yours and we are selling more of our products based on her ability then you are fired.

"I don't need individuals like you bringing down this company for your own gains. I have been watching your productivity and I'm not happy with your performance. I didn't give you the president's job for a reason Yoshimaru, because you're not good enough.

"Plus all those that have conspired to get rid of Higurashi-san will also be fired. I will not have traitors in my mist."

Sango was listening to what was going on when her computer dinged at her. She turned her attention to what was scrolling across her screen. She smiled wide as she said, "Excuse me Higurashi-sama but the latest numbers on the new product are in. It seems that your strategy is making the products disappear off the shelves. There are already new orders to restock the product in about half the stores that carry it. Sale is reporting that they will not be able to meet market demands. Production has been stepped up to try and meet the additional orders."

Yoshimaru was stunned as he asked, "How can this be? We have not engaged Ms. Higurashi's marketing strategy as of yet, so how can it be working?"

Sango smiled as she said, "When I talked to Higurashi-sama this morning I got all those that were loyal to her and we pulled your marketing strategy off the TV and radio stations. We went with her idea and it's been airing for only 4 hours. Sales are going through the roof as the new line of fabrics are catching everyone's attention and they want it."

Mr. Owaki turned to Yoshimaru, his eyes blazing with anger, "Well I guess that settles that argument. Yoshimaru you're fired! You have until the end of the day to get your things and leave, and that goes for all of you as well."

Mr. Owaki turned to the rest of Yoshimaru followers and pointed to each one of them. Yoshimaru was pissed at having been fired from his position, "I will not go down without a fight. You will hear from my lawyers."

Mr. Owaki laughed, "I will be more than willing to speak to them. I'm sure that any court in the world will stand behind me when I show them the numbers. I would be crazy to give the President of Marketing to you when I have someone here that is a genius at it."

Yoshimaru and his co-conspirators left the conference room as the rest that remained smiled at having things back to normal.

Mr. Owaki turned to Kagome and said, "Kagome my dear, I'm glad that you could come in on your time off to take care of this little problem for me. I'm truly sorry to have interrupted your vacation. I hope everything is going well for your wedding."

Kagome smiled as she said, "Oh yes, Owaki-sama, the wedding is still set for December 23. I'm looking forward to it."

The owner of the company leaned in and said in her ear, "Good, there will be something a little extra in your paycheck, a wedding gift if you will."

Kagome was speechless as her boss walked out of the conference room and then Kagome dismissed all there to get back to work.

Sango followed Kagome into her office as she shut the door, "Ok now that Yoshimaru has been taken care of, who are you marrying?"

Kagome smiled as she told her friend to sit down and she explained everything that has happened to her since the night she last saw her in the club.

To say that Sango was shocked was an understatement, her mouth was hanging open like a fish out of water. Kagome giggled at her, "Sango, are you going to be alright?"

Sango snapped out of her shock, "Yea, I'll be fine. But are you actually marrying Sesshoumaru Taisho of Taisho Corp?" When Kagome nodded yes to her question, Sango continued, "Do you love him Kagome? I mean, do you really love him? Does he make you happy?"

There was a sparkle in Kagome's eyes that has never been there before as she said, "Yes Sango, I really do love him with all my heart and he makes me very happy. I feel so safe with him, my soul calls to him in a way that it never did with Inuyasha. In a way I'm glad that Inuyasha cheated on me, because if he didn't then I never would have found Sesshoumaru and I wouldn't be happy right now."

Sango understood her friend as she left her office. She was happy that Kagome has finally found the one that will love her the way she needed to be loved.

Kagome worked for a few more hours to get the paperwork off her desk. When she was done she was about to call Sesshoumaru when her door burst open. She quickly got to her feet as she saw Inuyasha standing there in front of her with Yoshimaru right behind him.

The anger in Kagome went through the roof as she yelled, "What is the meaning of this? Inuyasha why are you here? I told you that I didn't want to see you again!"

Yoshimaru walked up to stand beside the hanyou as he said, "Inuyasha, are you going to take that from your bitch? I thought that you had her under control? Maybe you should demote her to one of your concubines and find a more worthy bitch to be your alpha."

Kagome eyes opened wide as she finally understood what was going on. Yoshimaru was the one that was filling Inuyasha's mind that he could have concubines. "So you are behind all of this? I should thank you, because of your interference I have found my true mate and we are to be mated soon."

Inuyasha's eyes opened wide as he growled, "Who are you mating? You are mine and I will not give up without a fight." He moved to attack Kagome as the mark on Kagome's shoulder came to life and put a barrier around her body.

Inuyasha hit the barrier as he was thrown back against the wall and slid down to the ground. He rose as he shook his head to clear it. His eyes were turning blood red and blue stripes appeared on his cheeks. His beast finally surfaced and he was not happy. Knowing that he was about to lose his bitch to another male made him angry as he pounced and attacked the barrier.

Yoshimaru attacked next, trying to help Inuyasha get to the female that was a thorn in his side. A barrier was protecting her as the two males in the room started to summon their inner most power to bring it down.

Kagome was pressed up against the wall. The barrier around her offered protection from the two that were trying to attack her. She was scared out of her mind, while she was frozen in place. Tears were going down her cheeks as she yelled, "You have no right to tell me whom I can mate! I have rejected you Inuyasha, so live with the decision you have made!"

Neither male were stopping their attacks on the barrier. They were putting everything they had into bringing it down but it would not budge. Inuyasha howled as he took his fist and punched a hole in the barrier and reached for Kagome. He caught her arm as he tore her jacket, making her arm bleed.

Kagome screamed as she fell against the wall holding her arm. Tears were going down her cheeks as she wished that Sesshoumaru was there to protect her. Kagome started to feel dizzy as her breathing was getting labored. She was leaning against the wall as she started to slide down to the floor. Her eyes were getting heavy as she finally passed out from the pain.

Inuyasha was almost to Kagome when he heard a crash as a golden orb came through the window. A whip came out of the orb, as it hit the males in the chest and threw them back.

Sesshoumaru landed right in front of his mate and he was not a happy Youkai at the moment. His idiot brother and a new male were attacking his mate to be. The scent of Kagome's blood made his honey colored eyes turn red as he said in a deadly voice, "Little brother, you better have a good explanation on why you are attacking my mate."

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru left his mate as he traveled across town. He was on a mission, he was going to see Kagome's mother to ask her some questions. He arrived in a matter of minutes at the shrine as he walked up to Asumi's house. He knocked on the door and waited. When the door opened Asumi smiled at him, "Sesshoumaru! Come in, come in, would you like a cup of tea?"

Sesshoumaru smiled and accepted her offer of tea. They both walked into the kitchen as he sat down at the table and waited for Asumi to join him. Once the tea was finished they both sat down to talk, "So Sesshoumaru, what brings you here this afternoon? There's nothing wrong with Kagome is there?"

Sesshoumaru smiled at the thought of his mate, "No, Kagome is fine. She had to go in to work today and fix something that some idiot did." Sesshoumaru needed to ask his question and he also decided to tell Asumi about their upcoming mating.

"Asumi, I have asked your daughter to become my mate and she has happily accepted my offer. I know that I should have come to you first and asked for her hand, but with everything that happened the last time I was here, I thought it best if I asked her before I lost her to another male." Sesshoumaru said while he watched Asumi's reaction to the news he just gave her. He was surprised when she remained calm and never even blinked in surprise.

Asumi knew that her daughter would mate with Sesshoumaru. He was more her type than Inuyasha ever was. Plus this will fit into her plans, with her daughter married to the Youkai lord they will be able to keep tabs on him and what he is doing around the city.

She could see that Sesshoumaru really loved her daughter and that's all the mattered to her. She did want to see her daughter happy with a male, and if he made her happy then it was the best situation for the both of them. He got her daughter and they get to keep tabs on him, "I suspected that something like this would happen. I knew the night that you first came to my home that she had feelings for you.

"I must admit that I'm happy she chose you over Inuyasha. I never really thought that he was her type in the first place. He never really loved her the way she wanted to be loved and I knew he would not be true to her. The only thing that I ask of you, Sesshoumaru, is that you love and protect Kagome for as long as she lives. I want my daughter to be happy in her mated life."

Sesshoumaru eyebrow came up in surprise, "I promise that I will love and protect her for as long as I live. But I am honored bound to give you whatever you wish for your daughter, Asumi. Name your price."

Asumi smiled at the Youkai sitting in front of her, "Sesshoumaru, all I want is for her to be happy. Grant me this one boon and I give you my blessing to take my daughter as your mate."

Sesshoumaru was happy with this as another thought came to his mind. "You said that you were happy that Kagome chose me over Inuyasha, why is that?"

"He is very immature and never likes to be around us. He knew that I would figure him out sooner or later and tell my daughter about what kind of person he really is. Kagome needs someone to love and protect her. She is very gifted and with her skills she will go places. Inuyasha was hoping to tap into her skills and the money that she will make so he could run around with every female he could get his hands on. That's not the life I want for my daughter." Asumi answered honestly.

Sesshoumaru was impressed with Kagome's mother. She was very insightful and he wondered what she thought about him? It did not matter to him what she thought, he will care and love Kagome for the rest of his life, but before he forgot why he came here, "Asumi, I understand that Kagome wanted to get married under the full moon near Christmas. Has she cancelled her plans for the ceremony yet?"

Asumi looked at Sesshoumaru, as she said, "No, she has not cancelled her plans for the wedding. Why are you asking?"

"I want to marry her on that date. I have waited for centuries to find her and I don't want to wait any longer than I have to. It is causing my inner Youkai to try and break free so he can claim her. He knows that she has agreed to be our mate but he doesn't want to wait and to be honest neither do I." Sesshoumaru said as he continued drinking his tea.

Asumi thought about what Sesshoumaru said, then she remembered something, "Sesshoumaru, Kagome wanted to exchange rings during the ceremony. I know it's a western tradition but she wanted the world to see that she was married to someone and a ring on her finger will do that. You will need to get her a wedding ring for the ceremony."

Now this was something that Sesshoumaru has no knowledge about. If this was the case, then he will need to go and buy Kagome a wedding ring. He has heard of this tradition and he liked the idea of the world knowing that she was his.

A blatant show of ownership was always good, and everyone will know that she belonged to him. He made up his mind as he finished his tea, "Well, I guess I have some shopping to do. I want to thank you for the information, please keep the wedding plans for the 23rd of this month. There is going to be a wedding that night."

Sesshoumaru stood as he left Asumi and formed his golden orb of light. He had the perfect place to go shopping for Kagome's ring. It only took him a few minutes to get to the store as he walked into the jewelry shop.

Even though he was casually dressed everyone in the shop recognized him immediately. One of the sales girls went to the back of the store as she got the owner. The owner came out as he bowed deeply, "Mr. Taisho, how may we be of service to you?"

Sesshoumaru was looking around as he said in a regal voice, "I'm looking for a wedding ring for my mate. She wishes to have a ring to show that she is mated to this Sesshoumaru."

The storeowner was delighted to hear this as he led Sesshoumaru to the case that contained the rings. "These are the rings that I have at the moment."

Sesshoumaru looked at all the rings that were on display. He did not find anything that he liked for his mate. He was very disappointed, "These will not due. I will have to go elsewhere to find what I am looking for."

The storeowner thought for a few moments as he said, "Please wait Mr. Taisho, I think that I might have what you are looking for. If you will please wait here I will go and get it."

Sesshoumaru agreed as he waited for the owner of the store to come back. He returned within minutes and he was carrying a black case with him. He set it down in front of Sesshoumaru as he opened the case for his inspection.

There sitting on black velvet was the perfect ring for his mate. It was two rings. The first had a fairly large diamond in the middle, but not too big to take away from its beauty. Small yellow diamonds surrounded it and it had two small blue diamonds almost the color of Kagome's eyes.

The other ring was very unique. It almost looked like a crescent moon, it had small blue diamonds all the way around it and when you put the rings together, the diamond on the engagement ring fit perfectly in the middle of the crescent. Sesshoumaru has never seen anything like it before and he thought that it would be perfect for his mate.

Sesshoumaru also noticed that the ring was part of a set. There was a necklace with a crescent moon diamond in the middle and matching earrings to go along with it. He could not have picked out a better gift than what he saw in front of him. "I will take it all." Sesshoumaru said, in a firm, but approving voice to the storeowner.

The storeowner was ecstatic that he had something that Mr. Taisho wanted. He wrapped the box up for him as Sesshoumaru paid cash for his merchandise.

Sesshoumaru walked out of the jewelry store and noticed the time of day. It was late into the afternoon and he still had to go in and check on his office. He formed his golden orb of light as he took off going to his office. There he will wait for his mate until she was done with her day. He will take her to dinner and then present her with the gift that he has brought for her.

Sesshoumaru was sitting at his desk signing papers when he felt the pull of his courting mark, as it was protecting his mate. He did not know who the fool was that was attacking his mate but he will make them pay for touching her.

Sesshoumaru formed his orb as he streaked across the sky going toward his mate. He crashed through her window as he lashed out with his whip and sent the offending males back towards the wall.

His eyes turned red when the scent of his mate's blood reached his sensitive nose. He noticed that his brother was there with his mate's blood on his claws, along with another male, who was attacking his female. He turned his heated eyes towards his brother, "Little brother, you better have a good explanation on why you are attacking my mate."

Inuyasha could not believe what he was hearing. He followed his brother out to his mansion on the night he took Kagome with him. He could not get past the barriers that were set up to protect his home. He howled his frustration at not being able to get to his bitch. He came back here, waiting until she came back to the city where he will be able to get to her.

He noticed when she arrived at the building and his heart filled with joy. He will be able to see, and mate her, before she found someone else. He waited until Sango was gone for the day before he made his move. Yoshimaru came with him to help him deal with his female.

He was surprised when he was thrown back only to see his brother standing in front of his bitch. He snarled, "YOU BASTARD! How dare you take what is mine!"

Sesshoumaru raised an elegant eyebrow at Inuyasha as he stated in a cold and uncaring voice, "I did not take what is yours. She has rejected you as a mate and she is free to accept any offer that she is presented with. It just so happens that this Sesshoumaru asked her to be his mate and she accepted. But where you failed, this Sesshoumaru will succeed, as I will not go looking for another female, while I'm courting this one. Kagome will not reject me like she did you."

Inuyasha knew that his brother spoke the truth. Kagome was now sporting his courting mark, which is why the barrier will not allow another male to get near her.

Sesshoumaru turned his heated eyes toward the other male as he stated in a deadly voice, "And who are you?"

Yoshimaru huffed at the Youkai standing before him, "I was an employee here in this company until that bitch had me fired. 20 years! I gave this company 20 years of my life, and for WHAT! For some whore to come in and get the job that was rightfully mine!"

Sesshoumaru looked at the Youkai standing in front of him. He was a weasel Youkai and he knew that his race was not too smart. He had no idea why he stayed with this company for so long. He would have fired him a long time ago. "If my mate fired you then she had her reasons for doing so. She does not enjoy doing things like that but I also understand that you tried to make her look bad in front of her boss. Even if he fired her she will still have a job with me at Taisho Corp. I could use someone with her skills."

Yoshimaru laughed deep and rich, "No one can get on at Taisho Corp! That company is the best to work for and it's next to impossible to get a job there. It doesn't matter who you are the owner of that company will never hire a worthless ningen like her."

Sesshoumaru smile an evil smile, as the weasel Youkai was about to meet his end by his hand. "I would take heed on how you speak about my mate. This little onna has caught the attention of every corporation in the area. Goyo keeps her well hidden so none of us know who is the genius behind the marketing skills of his company. Up until 2 years ago his company was on the verge of bankruptcy.

"It came out of bankruptcy with the way it marketed it products. The ideas and the innovations that this female came up with is what we all are looking for, for our own companies.

"She will have no problem finding another job in another company and she will be more than welcomed at Taisho Corp, since I'm the owner of that company. But with her being my mate you have attacked the wrong female. I will make sure that you never find work in this area or in any part of Japan for that matter."

Yoshimaru could not believe what he was hearing. All the well-known companies in the area desired this female, but not only that, she was to be mated to none other than Sesshoumaru Taisho, the owner of one of the most successful companies in Japan. He snarled as he attacked.

Sesshoumaru was not about to let him hurt his mate again as he took his claws and slashed. His poison came out as it killed the Youkai in an instant and dissolved his body into nothing.

While Sesshoumaru was busy with Yoshimaru, Inuyasha turned his attention to Kagome who was unconscious on the floor. He made his way over to his female as her blood called to him. His inner Inu was mesmerized by her scent as he kneeled by her side.

He knew he had to get her out of here if he had any hopes of claiming her before his brother did. The barrier that was around her body was gone now that she was unconscious. He picked her up in his arms as he ran out of her office and went down to his.

He placed Kagome on the floor while he locked the door to his office he wanted some privacy to claim his female. He only needed a few minutes to mate her and then she will be his for all eternity.

Kagome felt a great deal of pain as she was slowly waking up. Her arm hurt like crazy while she slowly opened her eyes. She thought that she sensed Sesshoumaru in the room with her as she looked around.

Her eyes went wide when she noticed that she was no longer in her office but in Inuyasha's as he was locking the door. She struggled to sit up, she turned her heated eyes toward Inuyasha, "Why did you bring me here?"

Inuyasha turned his blood red eyes toward his mate and made his way over to her. He noticed that she moved away from him in fear as he kneeled and faced her. He did not want to do it this way but she did not give him any other options.

He tried to talk to her but she refused to be alone with him. Now she did not have a choice, "I tried to talk to you but you wouldn't give me a chance to explain. I wanted to tell you that I was sorry for what I did. I still want you as my mate and I promise to be faithful to you."

Tears started to come from Kagome's eyes as she heard what Inuyasha was saying, "Inuyasha, you should have thought about the consequences of your actions before you cheated on me. There were others telling me that they saw you in different clubs with a female and I refused to believe that it was you, because I knew you wouldn't do that to me. But I was wrong.

"You betrayed me in the worst ways and when I rejected you because of your infidelity, you wanted to force me into a mating. No! I refuse to be mated to you when I know that you will just continue with your cheating ways."

Inuyasha growled and pounced on his female. The mating mark on her shoulder came to life again but it was weaker this time. It did keep him away from her but he was fighting the effects of it.

Part of the mating marks ability was that it also drew power from the one wearing it. When the host was weak, it also weakened the mark, but Sesshoumaru's mark was powerful, even though Kagome was weak it still had enough power from Sesshoumaru to keep Kagome safe.

Kagome was struggling to keep awake. She knew that if she passed out again that Inuyasha will attack and rape her, even if she was unconscious. He wanted her as his mate and she will have none of it. She reached up to her mark as she rubbed it and thought, _'Sesshoumaru, please help me.'_

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru just finished killing that irksome weasel Youkai when he turned and looked for Kagome. His let a vicious snarl leave his lips when he made a sweep of the room to discover that she was gone. He immediately noticed that his brother was also gone from the area as he took a sniff. Inuyasha took his mate and Sesshoumaru's inner Inu was not happy.

He took off after their scent as he followed Inuyasha's trail through the building. Then Sesshoumaru heard his mate calling for him as he picked up speed to find her. He came to the floor where Inuyasha's scent was the strongest and made a beeline towards his office.

It did not take much for Sesshoumaru to break down the door as he saw Inuyasha trying to reach his mate. Her arm was bleeding profusely, as he rushed in and grabbed his brother by the neck, lifting him off the floor. His blood red eyes told Inuyasha everything as he was about to be killed for taking what was his.

Inuyasha was struggling in Sesshoumaru's grasp when he noticed his brother's eyes. He stilled immediately when Sesshoumaru's eyes went from red to white. He knew then that he was in trouble when his inner Inu took over, and he was not as forgiving as his rational side.

Sesshoumaru's beast noticed when his brother stopped his movements. He finally caught the hanyou's attention as he growled viciously at him. He heard Inuyasha whimper in his grasp as he shook him violently.

Inuyasha was now whining like a little puppy as he begged for his brother's forgiveness. Sesshoumaru beast was not in a forgiving mood at the moment as he snarled, _"The bitch is mine! You will learn your place or I will kill you! So what will you do Shoutei? Will you give up your claim on my bitch, or do I kill you now? I will not allow you to harm my mate. So… if you have any brains left in that thick skull of yours, you will back down and leave this female alone. She is my mate and I will protect her even from the likes of you."_

Inuyasha knew he was beat. There was no way that he could ever beat his brother. His inner Inu already backed down once to his inner Inu. With Kagome wearing his courting mark he could not claim the female, it was too powerful for him to overcome. He has lost the best thing in his life because he wanted to have more than one female. He should have listened to his inner Inu in the first place and not cheated with Kikyou. Now he has no one as his eyes returned to normal and bared his neck to his brother in submission.

Sesshoumaru threw his brother against the wall and he slid down to the floor unconscious. It was best if he was not awake at the moment because if he opened his smart mouth his beast would not hesitate to kill him.

Sesshoumaru then turned his attention to his mate as he walked over to her and picked her up from the floor. He held her close to his chest as he purred. She was shaking in fear while he growled to soothe her.

He formed his golden orb and went home. He needed to see to Kagome's wounds and make sure that she will be all right. She was the most important thing to him at the moment.

Sesshoumaru arrived at his penthouse apartment as he quickly walked into his bedroom. He put his mate down on their bed as he went to get some clean towels and warm water to clean her wounds. He ripped the suit jacket and shirt from her body as he cleaned her arm. He was happy to see that the claw marks were not that deep, but she has lost a fare amount of blood.

Once he was done cleaning the wounds he leaned down as his nice long wet tongue came out to close them. He made sure to get each one, as it took no time at all to seal them.

Sesshoumaru looked at his mate with concern in his eyes. Kagome has not moved nor said anything since he got her away from Inuyasha. He took off the rest of her clothes as he stripped out of his. His mate still had Inuyasha's scent all over her and he could not stand to have another males scent on her body.

He picked her up in his arms as he went into his bathroom and stepped into the shower. He gently bathed her as he took great care to make sure she was clean. He then took a towel and dried her off as he picked her up in his arms once again and took her back to bed.

Sesshoumaru was starting to worry about Kagome as she would not look or speak to him. She seemed to be in shock as he laid in bed with her and held her close to his chest. After a while of his beast soothing their mate she finally fell into an uneasy sleep. He worked hard over the past few weeks to get rid of all of her nightmare of his brother. Now they will be back and he will have to work harder to get rid of them. He stayed awake for the rest of the night as he kept a silent vigil over his mate.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. The lime in this story has been toned down for this site. Sorry guys but that's the rules. If you want to read the original version then go to:

www. dokuga fanfiction/ story/ 9551/ 1 remember to take out the spaces in between the address. Please make sure that you are of legal age to read this.

Now I have received a review saying that the romance between Sesshoumaru and Kagome was going fast. Well yes in a way it is. This was originally a one shot that morphed into this story. So for all of you that wanted it to be a long and drawn out romance sorry that is not going to happen. But the story really kicks off after their mating so please continue to read. I promise it will be well worth it.

Until the next time

Jani


	4. Chapter 4

Kagome woke up the next morning alone in bed. She knew that Sesshoumaru was with her during the night as the nightmares returned and he was there to soothe her back to sleep.

She sat up as she looked around the room and noticed that she was in a strange place. She has never seen this place before and she wondered where she was. Sesshoumaru's distinct scent was all over the room and Kagome calmed herself down, knowing that she was safe. She knew that this had to be Sesshoumaru's penthouse apartment.

She decided to get up and get a start to her day. She needed to go back to her office, make sure that everything was all right, and inform her boss that she will pay for the damages done to her office. It was, after all, her mate who broke the window and she thought it was only fair that she pay for the damages.

Kagome went in and took a shower. When she was done she came back into the bedroom as she looked for something to wear. She has not moved any of her clothes over to his apartment so she needed something temporary.

She opened the closet door hoping to find a t-shirt and sweat pants to wear, but to her surprise there was clothing in there for her. She had business suits, formal wear, dresses, jogging suits, shoes, everything that she will need.

Kagome smiled as she reached for a dark grey pants suit and a light grey silk top. She wondered if her mate got the rest of the stuff that she will need as she went and looked through the dresser drawers.

She searched one dresser and found only his under garments in it. She walked over to the other one and found what she needed. She had to admit to herself, her mate has fine taste in panties and bras. She saw nothing but matching sets in the draws as she pulled out a grey set and matching socks.

She quickly dressed and got ready to go to work. She found a knee length heavy coat as she put it on and left the bedroom. She opened her senses and felt that Sesshoumaru was one floor down as she pressed the button for the elevator.

When it arrived she got in and noticed what floor she was on. There were no numbers on the elevators control panel and there were only three buttons to use. One said home, another said office, and the last said ground floor. She pressed the button for office and the elevator went down.

When the doors opened she walked out into a luxurious office and there sitting in the middle of the floor was a secretary as Kagome made her way towards her. She stopped right in front of her, saying, "I would like to see Sesshoumaru please."

The secretary looked up over her glasses as she looked at Kagome. The look she gave Kagome was not very well received, she gave her a look of revulsion. She had no idea who this ningen was but she was not about to let her bother her Sesshoumaru.

Kagome on the other hand waited patiently for her to answer, when she finally heard her say, "I'm sorry but Sesshoumaru-sama is in a meeting and he cannot be disturbed, come back some other time."

Kagome was not happy with her answer. She could tell that the woman, or should she say demoness, that was sitting in front of her, had nothing but disgust for her. She really didn't care she wanted to inform her mate that she was leaving to go to work. It would be rude to leave and then make him worry about her.

Kagome had an idea as she was about to take matters into her own hands, "Oh really, then I will just have to interrupt his meeting."

Kagome walked away from the female as she made her way toward the room where she felt her mate's aura. The demoness blocked her path as Kagome looked at her and said in a deadly voice, "I suggest that you get out of my way. I really don't want to hurt you."

The demoness huffed at the ningen standing in front of her, "You can't go in there, and who are you to tell me how to do my job? I already told you that Sesshoumaru is busy and you can't see him."

Kagome growled as she was losing her temper, "I'm Sesshoumaru's mate and if you don't get out of my way I will move you."

The demoness could not help but laugh in Kagome's face, "Sesshoumaru will never mate with a ningen. So why don't you get out of here before I call security and have you removed from this floor."

Kagome's anger got the better of her as her aura flared with power. She let go of her Reiryoku as the demoness eyes opened wide in fear.

At that moment Sesshoumaru felt the presence of his mate as he came out of the room that Kagome was trying to get into. He approached Kagome as he tried to calm her, "Kagome? What's going on?"

Kagome turned her attention to her mate, "Your secretary refused to let me in to see you. I told her that I was your mate but she didn't believe me."

Sesshoumaru was not happy to hear that his secretary did not believe his mate as he turned heated eyes to her and growled, "Neoki, I recommend that you pay attention the next time my mates comes down here. I know that you can detect my scent on her and that she carries my mark. I don't care what meeting I'm in, if my mate wants to see me, you will allow her into the room. Is that understood?!"

The demoness was visibly shaking as she bowed deeply to Sesshoumaru, "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama, please forgive me." Neoki was not happy to learn that Sesshoumaru has taken a ningen as his mate.

Neoki secretly wanted Sesshoumaru to mate her. She has been trying to get his interest for years, but he never paid any attention to her. But what she did not expect was that his mate was a powerful miko. She gave no indication of her power when she first approached her desk, but when angered her Reiryoku came out full force. She was not one to be mess with.

Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to his mate as he walked closer to her. He purred to calm her and it worked. Kagome's anger seemed to be going away, as he noticed that she was dressed in her business clothes, "Kagome where are you going?"

Kagome turned her attention back towards her mate, "I wanted to tell you that I will be leaving the building in case you came looking for me. I need to go into the office and make sure they are repairing the window that you broke last night and for them to send me the bill."

Sesshoumaru did not like the idea of his mate going back to her office. He had another idea, "Kagome, before you go would you mind listening in on a marketing idea that is being presented on a new product. I want you to hear it and then give me your honest opinion on what you think of it."

Kagome raised an eyebrow at her mate but thought that his request was reasonable. She agreed as she followed him into the conference room he came out of. When Kagome walked into the room it was full of ningen men, who were sitting around a very large conference table. All of the men looked at her in surprise as she walked in, took off her coat, and sat next to her mate at the head of the table.

Sesshoumaru held out a chair for his mate to take as he took his seat and looked at the person that was presenting their idea. "Continue with your presentation."

The command was direct and powerful. The person giving the presentation visibly shook in his shoes, as he cleared his throat and continued to present their marketing idea.

Sesshoumaru looked out the corner of his eye as he observed his mate. She was sitting there next to him with a stiff back and a confident look on her face. Her expression was one that demanded respect as she sat next to him and heard what was being presented.

Kagome was listening to what they were presenting, their strategy was very stupid. It will not reach the intended population that they wanted and the presentation of the product was sketchy at best. She still had no idea what the product did. All she saw was a small machine sitting there in front of the person presenting the product.

When the person was finally done they stood there waiting to see what Sesshoumaru thought about their presentation. Every male in the room turned their gaze toward Sesshoumaru. But they were not really looking at him, they were looking at the little onna that was sitting next to him, as their thoughts wondered on who she was. They have never seen her before and it was strange that a ningen onna will be allowed to sit so close to Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru was not pleased with the presentation. He turned his attention to Kagome as he saw her deep in thought. He cleared his throat, getting her attention, "Kagome, what did you think?"

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru talking to her as she turned to look at him. She was nervous, she really did not want to say anything in front of all of these men, "Umm, Sesshoumaru could we talk about this in private?"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at his mate, and stated, "No, I would like to discuss this in here. I want your honest opinion on what was presented as a marketing strategy."

Kagome sighed and rubbed her forehead, a clear sign that she was frustrated. She was trying to think of what to say but she knew deep down in her heart that she had to tell her mate the truth about what she heard. "Your strategy is bold but you are missing the target population because you are not explaining what it is you are selling. I still don't know what the product does and if I don't know, then the people you are targeting won't know.

"You have to appeal to all the population. If the product is geared toward a specific group of people, then that's fine, but if you want to expand your product then you need to make sure that you tell the public, what it actually does. If it was me, and I heard your ad I wouldn't buy what you are trying to sell."

There was an eruption of whispers, as all the men around the table were talking all at once.

Sesshoumaru smiled at his mate, her insight was unmatched, "Thank you Kagome, for your honest opinion."

Sesshoumaru was hearing what was being said around the room. His department heads were not happy with what the little onna said. They thought that her opinions should not be taken into consideration as the marketing president for his company addressed Sesshoumaru, "Sesshoumaru-sama, this onna is not part of the population that we are trying to reach. Our goal is to reach the top ten percent of the population. This product is geared for them and the lower percentile of the population wouldn't know what to do with our product. Our marketing strategy is sound and we will make huge profits if we are allowed to go forward."

Kagome took offense as she turned to Sesshoumaru, "Sesshoumaru what is it that you are trying to sell?"

"The machine is a small computer that can update existing programs with a conversion disk. Someone with no programming knowledge can sit down and type out what they want to change and the computer will convert the idea into a simple program. It will run on any computer by providing a program disk that they can upload into their existing system.

"It is a way for smaller companies to update and keep existing programs running even after they have been sunset. There are many small companies out there that can't afford to update their existing operating systems or even buy new programs to keep their own companies growing with technology." Sesshoumaru said as he looked at his mate.

Kagome was stunned. This is a product that can be sold to anyone, they will be able to keep their existing systems, keeping pace with current technology. Yes they will have to invest in new programs in the future but it will allow them to continue to function until they raised the capital to make that large of a purchase.

Kagome turned her eyes back to her mate, "Sesshoumaru, your target population is too low for this product. You need to widen your margin. This product could be a gold mine for you if you know how to put it on the market and sell it to everyone, not just a few."

Sesshoumaru listened to what his mate was saying. She did have a point on what this product could do. He thought of the idea when smaller companies were struggling to keep up with growing technologies and they could not afford the upgrades. Many of these small companies were going out of business because of new government regulations for their products and the new reporting requirements for them. It was taking too much manpower to keep track of the data and they could not afford the extra workers.

If he put this product on a wider market then he will be reaching the population and those companies that could really use this product. He looked at all those sitting there in the conference room, "What Kagome saying is correct gentlemen. I developed this product so it can be used for more than just the top 10 percent of the population. So your marketing strategy is not acceptable. You have until the New Year to come up with something that is more diversified so we can reach more of the population."

The individual that protested before spoke again, "But Sesshoumaru-sama, this product can't be used by the rest of the population. They won't know how to use it."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the man sitting before him, "Masuyo, I can guarantee that the rest of the population can use this product. My decision stands you have until the new year to come up with a new marketing strategy or face losing your jobs."

Masuyo was beside himself as he protested, "How can you listen to this onna that has no experience in what we are trying to sell. I bet she couldn't sell a handkerchief to anyone."

Laughter was heard around the room as Kagome's temper started to get the best of her. She felt Sesshoumaru touch her hand to calm her, "I would be careful about what you are saying Masuyo. This female, who is sitting next to me, is the genius behind Goyo."

Everyone in the room stared at Kagome in disbelief. This onna could not be the one to come up with all those marketing plans that brought that company out of bankruptcy. Masuyo turned his heated eyes towards Kagome, "It's hard to believe that this onna is the marketing genius behind that company. She is too young and doesn't have the experience to handle that company."

Kagome turned her blue eyes towards Masuyo. He was an ugly little man, who was bald, over weight, and thought that he knew what marketing was all about. He thought just because she was a female that she was not good at her job. Yes she was young but she was the one that kept Goyo afloat. "Just because I'm young doesn't mean that I don't know what I'm doing. Owaki-sama hired me because he didn't have anyone else that could do the job. I have not failed him in my duties nor will I fail him in marketing his products. You sir, don't know what you are doing and are keeping this corporation from making money."

Masuyo was outraged as he sputtered, "Sesshoumaru-sama I will not be talked to in such a manner by a little tramp that doesn't know what she is talking about."

Sesshoumaru started to growl, "Enough!" Then he got a really wicked idea as he looked at his mate from the corner of his eye and continued, "Masuyo, would you care to wager? Your abilities against Kagome's?"

Kagome turned to her mate with wide eyes at his statement. She was wondering what he was planning.

Masuyo could not back down now that a challenge has been issued, "What do you have in mind Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"I propose that both you and Kagome come up with a marketing strategy to sell this product. I will bring in a panel of businessmen to judge which idea is the best to market the product. The one that wins will get 8.5 million yen as a bonus from me. But the one that loses will be minus a job here and anywhere else in Japan. Is it agreed?" Sesshoumaru asked with a smile on his face.

Everyone in the room was quiet as Masuyo thought about the offer. He will have to come up with a better marketing strategy than this female could ever come up with. He still stood firm with what he presented but he wanted to make sure that he put this female down once and for all. He turned his attention back to Sesshoumaru, "Yes, I agree to the terms of the wager."

Sesshoumaru then turned to Kagome, "Kagome do you agree with the bet."

Kagome looked at her mate and she was fuming. How could she take on another project when she still had another company that she worked for? "Sesshoumaru you know that I work for Goyo, so how can I do this for you? It will interfere with my job."

Masuyo laughed as he said, "You see gentlemen, she is scared that her ideas are nothing but falsehoods and delusions of grandeur. She just thinks that she can do marketing but when put to the test, against someone who is a true professional, she backs down."

Kagome's eyes turned ice cold as the blue of her eyes paled. Her anger was peaked and Sesshoumaru knew it. "Kagome let me sweeten the pot for you. If you take on this challenge and win then I will set you up with your own Marketing Company and I will be your first client."

Kagome snapped her head back to her mate, "Are you serious?"

"I never make an offer that I don't stand behind. So are you willing to take the bet?" Sesshoumaru asked with a smile on his face. This was actually getting interesting.

Kagome thought for a moment about Sesshoumaru's offer. It was everything that she wanted. She knew that she could make her own business but it would have taken her a few more years to get a marketing firm going. But if she took this challenge and won then she will be set for life as her own mates company will be her first client and she was sure that she could get more.

Kagome also noticed that her mate did not introduce her to the rest of his staff. He must have a reason for this but she will wait until they were alone before she asked him such a personal question. She turned her eyes towards her mate as she smiled and said, "You have yourself a bet. But I do hope that the rest of your staff is not disappointed when I win this and take their jobs from them."

Sesshoumaru's eyes shined with happiness, he turned to his calendar as he found a date that was to his liking, "All right gentlemen you have until the 12th of January to come up with a suitable plan. We will meet back here on the 12th at 9am sharp. May the best marketing presentation win."

Masuyo and the rest of the men in the room stood up and left the conference room. They all could not believe that their jobs were on the line if they did not present a good marketing plan for Sesshoumaru's product.

One of the men turned and said to Masuyo, "Do you have any idea what you have gotten us into? That woman, if she is the one that is employed by Goyo, is one of the best marketing people around this area. I have contacts that have said that every corporation in this country is looking for her. They all want that person to work for them so they can sell more of their products. You better come up with a powerful presentation before January 12th or we will all be out of a job."

Everyone walking out of the conference room echoed the same sentiments. Masuyo could not believe what he got himself into. How could that little bitch out shine him when it came to marketing a product? He knew he was one of the best in the business because he worked for Sesshoumaru. Everyone knew that Sesshoumaru only has the best working for him.

He will show this little upstart her place. No one makes a fool out of him and gets away with it. He will have to make some changes to his marketing presentation. He needed to field this product fully and not hold back. He will have to return the money he got to make sure that Sesshoumaru's product never did well on the market. His job was on the line now and he needed to start doing what he did best. He will deal with his other boss when the time comes.

-oOo-

Kagome waited patiently until everyone left the conference room. She waited until she could not hear those men anymore, before she rounded on her mate. "Sesshoumaru, why did you do that to me? You know that I have a job to go to everyday, why did you put me in such a position?"

"If I came out and gave you a marketing company to run would you take it?" Sesshoumaru asked as he watched his mate closely. He knew that she will never accept a gift from him. She was too proud and wanted to work for everything that she has.

"No, of course not." Kagome said in a huff.

Sesshoumaru smiled as his pulled his mate into his lap. "I knew that you wouldn't accept something like that unless you earned it. I can help you set up your own company and it will be very successful because the people to be judging your presentation are the top five companies in Japan. If you win you will have them as clients as well.

"Plus this way, I can get rid of all the incompetent fools that are trying to bring down my company. Though I cannot prove it, I know that some of my competitors have a hand in why my products don't sell as well as they do."

Kagome was not shocked to hear this, she understood all too well what he was talking about. It was a common practice that the bigger corporation will drive the smaller companies out of business by making sure that they could not market their products.

Kagome has been approached on doing the same to Goyo but refused. No amount of money will make her betray the one person that had confidence in her ability. She would not do that to Owaki, he was very kind and has given her a chance to grow. He believed in her ability when no one else would and that was enough for him to have her loyalty.

Kagome then turned her attention back to her mate, "Is that the reason why you didn't introduce me as your mate? You want me to show them what I can really do and that you are not the one influencing the decision?"

"Yes, I know that you can do this on your own and I'm giving you the chance. I know my lovely mate that you are a genius in marketing and that you will help not only my company but also many others. I'm just giving you a little push in the right direction." Sesshoumaru stated as he nuzzled his mate. Then he heard her stomach growl, "Are you hungry mate?"

Kagome giggled as she said, "Yes, I didn't get to have dinner last night and I haven't had anything to eat yet."

"Come, let's go to lunch then." Sesshoumaru stood taking his mate with him. He placed her on her feet as he walked towards the door and held it open for her.

Kagome grabbed her coat as she walked out with Sesshoumaru heading for his private elevator. On their way down Kagome said, "I want to thank you for the new clothes. You have great taste."

Sesshoumaru smiled as he said, "You're welcome. I hope I got everything right."

Kagome giggled, "Yes everything fits correctly. Now after lunch I'm going to the office to get some things done. Then I'll stop by the grocery store and pick something up for dinner."

"I have taken the liberty in having the kitchen restocked with supplies so we don't need anything. Just come home after you're done. If you don't feel comfortable coming home by yourself call me, I'll come and get you." Sesshoumaru finished speaking just as the elevator door opened and they stepped out. They went across the street to a restaurant that Sesshoumaru liked as they had lunch.

After lunch, Sesshoumaru walked Kagome to her office. Goyo was not far from where Sesshoumaru had his building. When they arrived he kissed her goodbye as he went back to his office.

Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru walked away. She was lucky to have such a wonderful mate. Now for the business at hand, she needed to see to some broken windows and doors.

Kagome's office was a scene of utter chaos. There were workers there fixing her window and Sango was on her phone trying to contact her. When she stepped out of the elevator, her best friend immediately tackled her, as she cried, "Kagome! I have been trying to get a hold of you. What happened to your office last night? Are you all right?"

Kagome hugged Sango back as she said, "Yes, I'm fine. I want the bill for the repairs sent to me. I will pay for the damages. I will also pay for the damage done to Inuyasha's door."

Sango was shocked to hear this, "Why, what happened after I left last night?"

Kagome sighed as she told her friend what happened. When she was done Sango was furious. "That idiot said that he was gone when all this happened last night. He said that he didn't know that you were still in the building. When I get my hands on that hanyou he is going to wish he never meet me."

Kagome giggled, "Sango let it go. I'm safe and that's all that matters right now. I want you to get a hold of Miroku, Ayame, and Koga. I have a new marketing campaign that I need to do and I will need their help. Have them meet me at my apartment in about an hour. I want you to come too. I'm about to form my own marketing firm and all of you are going to be joining me in this project."

Sango was shocked to hear this but she was very excited. She got on the phone right away and called everyone, and they were set to meet at Kagome's apartment within the hour.

Sango followed Kagome everywhere she went. She was not about to let her friend wonder around the company and let Inuyasha attack her again. When Kagome was done with her business, they both left work as they headed toward Kagome's apartment.

They waited there until everyone arrived. When they were all present, Kagome started her meeting. "Thanks for coming on such short notice. I have been given a chance to set up my own marketing firm and I want to know if you all are interested in joining me?"

Everyone in the room was surprised as Koga asked, "You're kidding right?"

Kagome shook her head no as she said, "I'm being very serious about this. There is a presentation that will take place on the 12th of January. If this panel of businessmen pick our marketing strategy over this other one, then I will win my own marketing firm. The one that we are doing this for will be our first client and the other businessmen will also follow suit. I could use all of your help since we do such a great job with Goyo. So what do you say? Do you want to join me?"

Everyone looked at each other as they smiled and said "Hell yes we'll join you!"

Kagome laughed as she outlined the product they will be marketing. You could see all the wheels turning in everyone's mind as they listened to what Kagome was saying. She had a very ambitious plan to market this product as they all came up with ideas on what to do.

In three hours' time they had a plan of attack as each of her friends did what they did best. Miroku was in charge of the television ads. He came up with a plan for a commercial to market the product.

Koga was in charge of the radio ads and billboards. He already came up with logos and jingles to sell the product.

Ayame was in charge of graphics and design as she made what everything will look like. And Sango was in charge of sales, finding out who would be willing to sell this product and getting their orders for delivery.

Kagome looked at the clock and decided that it was time to go home. "All right we will meet back here on January 2nd to see how everything is going. That will give us at least 10 days to get everything ready for the presentation. If you have any problems contact my mother and she will get a hold of me. Now everyone have a wonderful Christmas and I will see all at my wedding next week."

Kagome hugged all of her friends as Ayame and Koga left her apartment. When they were gone Kagome turned to Sango and asked, "Sango is anything wrong?"

Sango shook her head no, "We will take you home Kagome. We want to make sure that you are not alone. I can't take the chance that Inuyasha will try to attack you again. I will feel better once you are back with Sesshoumaru."

Kagome smiled as she put all of her papers in her portfolio. She got her coat as they all left her apartment. Sango and Miroku escorted Kagome back to where Sesshoumaru was located and once they saw her get on the elevator they left for the evening.

Kagome leaned against the elevator wall. She was tired as she pressed the button for home. The elevator was fast, when she arrived she went straight to the bedroom as she got changed. She put on something more comfortable then went into the kitchen and started the evening meal.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was in his office when he felt his mate returning home. His wards and barriers will prevent his idiot brother from entering his domain. He could feel that his brother was close by. At least he knew that his mate was safe as long as she stayed with him.

He worked for another hour when he started to pick up this wonderful aroma. His nose twitched as he sniffed the air. His stomach started to growl, something that has never happened before, as he figured that his mate was fixing the evening meal.

He hurried to finish what he was doing as he walked out of his office and went home. Home, never before had he ever wanted to go home as much as he did at this moment. Now he could not wait to get there to be with his beloved.

When he arrived he found Kagome in the kitchen in a set of sweats, cooking. It smelled wonderful as he entered the kitchen and grabbed his mate by the waist and nuzzled her.

Kagome giggled when she felt Sesshoumaru's nose on her neck. She turned in his embrace facing him, "Why don't you get into something a little more comfortable, dinner is almost ready."

After he kissed his mate, Sesshoumaru went to get changed. He went to the dresser and got the engagement ring that he brought for her. He put it in his pocket as he walked back out to the dining room. When he got there dinner was placed on the table as they sat down to eat.

Dinner was quiet as Sesshoumaru complimented Kagome on her cooking. She blushed as she said that she was not that good but she was happy that he liked what she made. When they finished they cleaned the dishes as they went and sat in the living room. They watched TV for a little while before they went to bed.

Sesshoumaru was waiting for the right moment to give Kagome the ring he got for her. She was lying in his arms as he said, "Kagome, I have something for you."

Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru and smiled, "Oh? What did you get me?"

Sesshoumaru moved Kagome away from his shoulder as he kneeled in front of her. He grabbed her hands and held them in his, looking into her eyes he saw nothing but happiness shinning through, then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a very small box, "Kagome my love, I want to give you this as a token of my undying love for you. Take this ring and wear it proudly as a symbol that you are to be my mate."

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she saw the ring that he got for her. He placed it on her finger as tears of joy started to form in her eyes. The ring was beautiful as she threw herself into Sesshoumaru's arms and landed flat on the floor on top of him, with tears now streaming down her cheeks.

She kissed Sesshoumaru with all the love she felt for him, "Oh yes I will wear your ring proudly as a symbol of your love for me, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru rolled over pinning Kagome under him as he kissed her senseless. When he pulled away from her he said, "Kagome we will mate on the night of the full moon, after the wedding that you want to have. I have already spoken to your mother and the arrangements are still in place for that night."

Kagome was surprised that he has already spoken to her mother, "You spoke to my mom about this?"

Sesshoumaru chuckled as he nuzzled his mate, "Yes, I spoke to her yesterday, after I left you at your office I went to pay her a visit. I still had to ask your mother for permission to mate you."

Kagome was confused as she looked at Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha never asked her mother if he could have her as his mate. "I don't understand Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha never asked my mother for permission to marry me, so why did you have to ask?"

Sesshoumaru pulled away from her wonderful neck as he sat up and pulled Kagome into his lap. "It is part of the Inu Youkai tradition to ask the alpha of the pack that the females belong to if a mating is agreeable to them. The female's alpha can ask anything for the female, since they are their prized possession. No male can take a female unless the alpha's come to an agreement.

"Inuyasha broke tradition when he didn't approach your mother for her blessing. If he was serious in mating you, then he would have come to me. As his alpha I would have accompanied him to see the alpha of your pack, since your grandfather is senile and not fully in his right mind, we would have spoken to your brother, if he was of the age to make such decisions. But since he is just a child the only one to make that decision for you is your mother, she is considered the alpha female of your pack.

"Asumi can ask me for anything that is in my power to give, and I will give it to her in order to have you as my mate. Most ningens know that if an Alpha comes to them, to ask for a female, that they will pay whatever they want in order to have their blessing. Your mother only asked that I love and protect you for the rest of my life, this I gave my word on.

"She also stated that she was happy that you have chosen me as your mate because she already knew that you had feeling for me."

Kagome listened intently to what Sesshoumaru was saying. She never knew that Youkai will pay anything for a female. But when she heard that her mother was glad she accepted him as a mate she was confused, "Why is my mother happy I chose you instead of Inuyasha?"

Sesshoumaru chuckled, "Your mother is a very good judge of character, Kagome. She figured out what Inuyasha was trying to do, she would have told you, but she didn't get the chance. It seems, at least in your mother's eyes, that I'm the best mate for you. She thinks very little of Inuyasha, since he has hurt her only daughter."

Kagome giggled as she heard what Sesshoumaru told her. She always knew that her mother was a good judge of character. She never did like Inuyasha because she could not trust him and anyone that she did not trust was not good enough for her daughter.

Kagome's eyes were slowly closing, while she was talking to Sesshoumaru, his hand was gently rubbing circles on her back. He was relaxing her to the point that she was falling asleep in his arms. She leaned into Sesshoumaru neck as she licked him underneath his chin. She heard him growl as she yawned and shook in his arms. Slowly her eyes closed as she snuggled deeply into her mate's body.

Sesshoumaru noticed how tired his mate was. He saw her fighting the effects of his caresses, while watching her eyes slowly closing. When she was finally asleep in his arms, he got up, turned off the television, and went to bed. He was tired as well and their mating will take place in less than a week. He could not wait for that day.

He took off her clothes as he laid down with his mate, thinking about their mating day. He needed a place that was safe for her. He thought about this for a while as an idea came to his mind. _'We could go to my father's shiro and it will be safe there for us to mate. If memory serves me correctly, father has a special room that we can use. I remember my father telling me that this room was built for that purpose. He mated my mother in that room and also Inuyasha's mother. It will protect us until I recover my strength from the mating.'_

The more he thought about this option the more he liked the idea. He needed a safe haven for him and his mate when he tied her life to his. It was going to take a large amount of his youki to do it and it will weaken him.

He could not mate her here in the city, his youki will probably blow the roof off his building and he could not take that chance. Anyone that knew what that power flare was will come looking for him. He did have many enemies and he did not want to put Kagome in any danger.

He liked this idea as he made up his mind. He will have to go there and get everything ready for the mating. But the problem was when to do it? He could not leave Kagome unguarded while he went to his ancestral home and he could not take her with him. He wanted this to be a surprise.

Sesshoumaru yawned as he snuggled closer to his mate. His inner beast needed the contact with their mate as he felt his beast finally relax. He started to get sleepy as his eyes closed and he dreamt of the day that he will finally mate his love.

-oOo-

Kagome was slowly waking up from her slumber. She pulled her arms closer to her chest as she felt something soft. It was not the firm chest of Sesshoumaru as she opened her eyes to discover that she was alone in bed.

Kagome sat up as she yawned. She crawled to the edge of the bed, grabbed her robe and put it on. Once she was covered she walked out of the bedroom and went into the kitchen. She spotted a pot of coffee still hot, as she grabbed a mug and poured herself some.

She sat at the table as she took a sip of the hot liquid and ran her fingers through her hair. She opened her senses and noticed that Sesshoumaru was not in the apartment. She figured that he must have gone down to his office.

She was drinking her coffee as she looked at her left hand. The ring that Sesshoumaru gave her was on her finger and it was beautiful. She could not believe that he wanted to marry her on the night of the full moon. It was only 4 days away and she was excited.

Kagome started going down a mental list of everything that she has done for her wedding so far. She was glad that she was almost done, she only needed a few more things and then she will be ready to marry her true love.

Then a thought came to her mind, as she panicked, _'OH SHIT! I don't have a ring for Sesshoumaru! I can't give him the ring that I brought for Inuyasha. That ring is just not right for him, I have to go out and get another one. But Sesshoumaru is not going to let me out of his sight, especially with what Inuyasha tried to do the other day. But I don't want him to see what I'm going to get him. What am I going to do?'_

At that moment Kagome's cell phone started to ring as she looked for it. She could not remember where she put it as she searched for the illusive phone. She finally found it as she looked to see who was calling her and opened her phone. "Hello Sango, is there anything wrong at work?"

Sango laughed as she said, "Good morning to you too Kagome. No there is nothing wrong at work. I took the day off and I was wondering if you wanted some company today. I know that the wedding is in a few days and I wanted to know if you needed help with anything."

Kagome smiled as she said in an excited voice, "Sango, you're a life saver! Yes, I need your help. Do you think that you and Miroku can take me shopping? I need to get Sesshoumaru a wedding ring and he is not going to let me go out by myself. Not with what Inuyasha tried to do the other day. I can feel that he is close to the building and I don't want to go out alone."

Sango understood what Kagome was saying, "Of course Kagome, Miroku is spending the day with me so we can be over there in an hour."

Kagome was happy to hear this as she said in a worried voice, "But I have to warn you, Sesshoumaru might not let me go out with you. He is being very protective of me and I can't say that I blame him. I just don't want him hurting you guys in any way."

"Don't worry Kagome, I think that Miroku and I can take care of Sesshoumaru. We will prove to him that we can protect you even from himself. Leave everything to us, we will see you in an hour." Sango then hung up, as Kagome finished off her coffee so she could go and get ready. She only had an hour to get cleaned and dressed.

Kagome rushed back into the bedroom as she went to take a shower. When she was done she went into the closet and looked for something to wear. She was so happy that Sesshoumaru had thought about all types of clothes for her.

She picked a pair of blue jeans and a matching blue sweater to go along with it. She combed her hair out as she grabbed her coat, purse, and headed for the elevator.

Her first stop was to see her mate as she went down to his office. She stepped out of the elevator as she spotted Sesshoumaru's secretary sitting at her desk. She braced herself for another confrontation, but to her amazement she was greeted with respect.

"Good morning Kagome-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama is in his office." Neoki said with a smile on her face. She knew that if she disrespected Sesshoumaru's mate again she will be looking for a new job. Sesshoumaru was very devoted to this ningen and there was nothing she could do about it.

Kagome smiled as she said, "Thank you Neoki, does he have anyone in his office?"

Neoki looked up from her work, "No, he is alone at the moment."

Kagome then turned and went to her mate's office, as she knocked on his door and entered the room. She found her mate sitting behind his desk as she approached and said, "Good morning Sesshoumaru, I came to tell you that I'm going out for a little while today and I will be back later."

Sesshoumaru saw as his mate walked into his office. She was dressed to leave and he was wondering where she was going. When he heard her statement he was not happy as he said, "Kagome, I don't want you going out by yourself. Could you not wait until this afternoon and I will take you anywhere you need to go?"

Kagome was ready for his protest, as she replied, "No, I'm not going out by myself Sango and Miroku are coming to get me and I'm spending the morning with them."

Sesshoumaru raised an elegant eyebrow and asked, "And who are these people?"

"They are my dearest friends. I know that I will be safe with them. So can I go?" Kagome asked, in a pleading voice.

Sesshoumaru could never deny his mate anything, he noticed that this meant a lot to her, "We shall see Kagome. I want to meet these friends of yours first. If I feel that they can protect you then I will allow you to go with them. But if they cannot handle the job, then I will not let you leave and you will wait until this afternoon and I will take you shopping. Is this acceptable?"

Kagome sighed, it was the best she was going to get from her mate and agreed to his request. She looked at the clock, saying, "They should be downstairs by now. I need to go down and meet them."

Sesshoumaru nodded his agreement, "Once you meet them bring them up here to my office. I will make my decision once I have spoken with them."

Kagome turned as she left his office and took the elevator down to the lobby. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator she heard someone calling her name. Kagome smiled as she turned towards her friends and ran to Sango, giving her a big hug. When the girls were finally separated Kagome stated in a low voice, "Um, Sango, Sesshoumaru wants to meet you and Miroku."

Sango understood what Sesshoumaru was doing. He wanted to make sure that she and Miroku could protect his mate, since they have not met each other. He was not about to let her go off on her own without him meeting her friends.

Sango turned to Kagome and said, "Well what are we waiting for? We need to go and meet this Youkai that is going to be your mate."

Kagome smiled as she walked her friends to Sesshoumaru private elevator and then went up to his office.

Sango and Miroku were in awe as they saw how beautiful Sesshoumaru's outer office was. They followed Kagome towards his office as she opened the door and led them all into the spacious room.

Kagome was nervous as she turned to her mate and said, "Sesshoumaru, I would like to introduce you to my friends. This is Sango and Miroku, we have been friends since we were kids."

Sesshoumaru stood as he looked at Kagome's friends. From what he saw they were nothing special and he sincerely doubted that they could protect Kagome from any danger, let alone an attack from a feral Inuyasha.

He squared his shoulders as he said, "It is a pleasure to meet you. Kagome tells me that you are both capable of protecting her from Inuyasha. Please forgive me, but you don't look powerful enough to ward off an attack from him."

Sango huffed as she said, "Looks can be deceiving Sesshoumaru-sama. We can protect her from Inuyasha."

Kagome moved over to her friend's side as she tried to ward off a confrontation. She knew that Sango's anger could get the better of her and Sesshoumaru was being very protective of her at the moment. She put her hand on Sango's arm as she tried to calm her friend down.

Sesshoumaru growled as he attacked. He grabbed Sango by the neck as he said in a deadly voice, "I could snap your neck and you will be dead before you hit the ground. What makes you think that you can protect my mate against my brother?"

When Sesshoumaru attacked a couple of things happened at the same time. Sango grabbed Kagome and pushed her behind her. Miroku threw an ofuda down on the ground as a powerful barrier was put around them.

Sango never took her eyes off Sesshoumaru as she was still staring at him. She heard his comments as she said in a low voice so that Kagome could not hear her, "You could break my neck and kill me, but I will take you with me."

Sesshoumaru did not know what the ningen was talking about, when he felt something sharp in his stomach. He looked down to see that the onna was holding two very deadly looking knives as they were pressed into his stomach. "The poison on these knives is powerful enough to take down a dragon Youkai in 10 seconds. How long do you think you will last if I stabbed you?"

Sesshoumaru was very impressed with this onna. He never noticed when she pulled her weapons on him. He released her from his grasp as he looked for his mate. He found Kagome with tears in her eyes as the male was protecting her. He was a powerful monk and he surrounded his mate with a barrier that will let no one through.

Miroku lowered his barrier when he saw that Sesshoumaru released Sango. He knew that this was a test of their abilities in protecting Kagome. He turned his attention to Sango as he heard her say, "Sesshoumaru-sama, we are Kagome's best friends. We can assure you that we will both give our lives to protect her."

Sesshoumaru was impressed with these ningens as he went to his mate. He brought her into his arms and held her. He was sorry for scaring her but he had to test her friends to see if they were up to the challenge of protecting her.

"I approve, you are up to the challenge of protecting my mate. But know this, if anything happens to her there will be nothing on this earth that will stop me from finding and killing you." Sesshoumaru said with seriousness in his voice.

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to his mate as he said, "Kagome, please be careful out there. You know that Inuyasha has not given up on getting his hands on you and I worry, but my mark will still protect you when you are away from me."

Kagome was happy that she could leave with her friends. She was afraid that Sesshoumaru and her friends would get into a fight here in his office. She knew that Sango's temper was bad and she would often attack first and ask questions later.

She was glad that Sesshoumaru was comfortable with her friends as she reached up and kissed him under his chin, "I promise to be careful. I know that Inuyasha is nearby so I will be staying close to Sango and Miroku. I should be back by early evening."

Kagome moved away from Sesshoumaru's arms as she looked at her friends, "Are you ready to go?"

Sango smiled as she flicked her wrist and the knives went back into the sleeves of her jacket, without Kagome noticing that she had them. Sango and Kagome were making their way out of the office, but Miroku stayed behind to talk to Sesshoumaru.

When the girls were out of earshot Miroku said in a low voice, "Sesshoumaru-sama, Sango and I come from a very long line of Taijiya and priest. We still practice our crafts and we have been protecting Kagome since we were children.

"Kagome does not know that we are her bodyguards and we would like to keep it that way, so what I'm about to tell you will stay between us. We will not fail in protecting her since our families owes Kagome's family a life pledge.

"Both our families have pledge to protect the priest's or miko's of the Higurashi shrine. It is a vow that we take very seriously and we are not the only ones who protect her. There are two others in our group who offer her protection. We will always be close to protect her even when she forms her new marketing firm.

"Inuyasha knows enough not to come near Kagome when she is with us. He has learned firsthand what it's like to be beaten by Sango. So your mate will be well protected." Miroku then turned and rushed after the girls, they have already made it to the elevator and were waiting on him.

Once he reached them they entered the elevator and headed down to leave the building.

The group of friends headed out of Taisho Corp as they went to Miroku's car. Kagome got into the back seat as Sango and Miroku got in the front. Sango reached for an envelope that was sitting on the console as she turned around and said, "Kagome, Mr. Owaki asked me to give you this when I saw you."

Kagome was curious about the envelope that Sango held in her hand. She took it from her friend as she opened it. She pulled out the lone piece of paper that was in it as she looked at it.

Kagome turned pale as she looked at what she held in her hands. _'This can't be right. This has to be a mistake.'_

Sango noticed that Kagome has almost turned white as a ghost as she asked, "Kagome is something wrong?"

Kagome looked up, saying, "This has to be a mistake Sango. There are too many zeros on this check."

Now it was Sango's turn to look confused as she said, "Kagome, what are you talking about? What do you mean that the check has too many zeros?"

Kagome handed Sango the paper she held in her hands as Sango looked at the check. Her eyes went wide as she said, "Oh Kami! I never thought that I would see so many zero's on a check."

Kagome mind was quickly working as she said, "Sango I have to return this. It has to be a mistake. Let's go to Goyo and see if Mr. Owaki is there."

They all got out of the car as they walked to Goyo. It was only a couple of blocks away and it was easier to walk than to drive. When they got to Goyo they all went up to Owaki's office.

The secretary that was sitting in front of Owaki office smiled when she saw Kagome. "Kagome, go right in, Mr. Owaki is expecting you."

Her statement surprised Kagome as she said her thanks and walked to her boss's office. She took a deep breath before she knocked on the door and heard, "Come in." She opened the door to find her boss sitting behind his desk as he stood and said, "Kagome, it's a pleasure to see you. How can I help you?"

Kagome smiled as she walked toward her boss and handed him the envelope. "Owaki-sama, I think someone made a mistake with this check."

Owaki looked at Kagome and asked, "Oh, what's wrong with the check?"

"I believe that there are too many zero's in it." Kagome responded in a shy voice.

Owaki took the envelope and took the check out. He looked at the amount as he put it back into the envelope and handed it back to Kagome. "There is no mistake Kagome. The amount is correct."

Shocked rolled off Kagome's small form, as she said, "But Owaki-sama I haven't earned this, I can't accept it."

Owaki laughed full and hearty. "Kagome, you can call this payment of back wages for the years you have worked for me, plus the bonus that I promised you. You deserve this and more. I'm sorry that it's taken me this long to realize what I have in this company. With your genius you made it possible for me to keep this company and all its employees. I have come to think of this company as my extended family and it would have broken my heart to lose it.

"This is my way of saying thank you for a job well done. Plus when you win the marketing presentation at Taisho Corp, I expect you to continue marketing our products."

Kagome could not believe what she was hearing as she looked up from the 10 million yen check she was holding in her hands. "You know about the competition that I'm in? Who told you?"

"Sesshoumaru called to tell me what he was doing. He asked me if I was willing to sit in on the panel of judges to pick the best marketing presentation. He also told me that you two were to be married this weekend. I'm happy for you Kagome, I know that he will make you happy. He is a fair individual and has always given me a chance to prove myself."

Kagome sighed leave it to Sesshoumaru to let everyone know what is going on so she would not get into trouble. "If I win this competition I will still take care of your companies marketing needs, this you have my word on."

Kagome knew that it was futile to give the check back to her boss. It would make it seem that she was ungrateful and she did not want to dishonor her boss. "I thank you for the money you have given me, though I think it's too much, I accept your gift." Kagome bowed as she left her bosses office. She needed to stop by her bank and deposit the check, plus she has a wedding ring to buy.

Kagome did not say a thing as she walked to the elevator, with Sango and Miroku following closely behind her. When they entered they noticed that they were alone as Sango turned to Kagome and asked, "Well Kagome, was the check a mistake?"

"No, the check is mine to keep and he won't take it back. He told me that he wanted to help me get my marketing company started because he expects me to win this competition.

"Sesshoumaru invited Owaki to sit on the panel of judges so he will be there on the 12th to pick the best marketing plan. I have no choice now, I have to win this thing." Kagome said with concern in her voice. She was now under pressure to win this marketing presentation. She had no doubts that her friends can come up with the best plan to market Sesshoumaru's product but now that Owaki was involved she could not fail in front of him.

They all went to the bank as Kagome put the check into her account. Kagome could feel that Inuyasha was following her. His aura was close as she looked around to see if she could see him. She looked in the direction he was in and a second later he was gone from the area. He was watching everything she was doing and it made her nervous.

Once they got back to Miroku's car they all got in as they took off to the mall. They arrived about 20 minutes later as they went in and looked for a wedding ring for Sesshoumaru.

Kagome had already visited three jewelry stores so far and she has yet to find the perfect ring for her mate. They entered the last jewelry store in the mall as they looked around. The owner of the store was tending the counters as he approached Kagome, "Good afternoon Miss, how may I help you?"

Kagome turned as she looked at the old man that was standing in front of her. She smiled as she said, "I'm looking for a wedding ring for my mate and it has to be special."

The old man smiled at her as he showed her what he had. Kagome looked at all the rings and was disappointed in what she saw. They just did not have the right ring for her Sesshoumaru.

Sango walked up to Kagome and said, "Kagome have you found what you are looking for?"

Kagome turned her eyes toward her friend, "No, none of these will do for Sesshoumaru. I want it to be special and these rings are just plain."

The owner of the store looked down as he noticed the ring on Kagome's finger. He recognized it immediately as the ring he had sold to Mr. Taisho. He could not believe his luck as he heard who she was buying the ring for, "If these rings won't do for you Miss, I have one more in the back that I can show you. If you will wait here I will get it for you."

Kagome agreed as she waited for the old man to come back. He reappeared a few minutes later with a small black box in his hand. He opened the box, turned it around, and placed it on the counter for her inspection.

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she saw the ring. It was what she was looking for. The ring had a gold band. There was a crescent moon diamond in the center of the ring that lay on a blue background, making the diamond look blue. It had what appeared to be a pink pearl in the middle of the crescent as she asked, "What is this jewel in the middle of the crescent? Is it a pink pearl?"

The storeowner looked at her as he replied, "No it's not a pink pearl. I have no idea what kind of jewel it is. The gemologist has not been able to determine what it is. I do know that it's a one of a kind stone so it's very rare."

Kagome never took her eyes off the almost clear pink stone as she listened to what the owner was saying. She was being pulled in the direction of the ring. That pink stone called to her and she could feel the power radiating off of it.

She reached out to take the ring as she stopped and asked, "Is it all right if I hold the ring to look at it?"

"Yes, of course you may hold it." The old man replied. If this girl can hold the ring in her hands then she is the true owner, and his years of guarding this ring will finally be over.

Kagome reached out as she pulled the ring out of the box. She held it in her hands as she felt the power surge from the ring. Kagome's eyes turned a pale blue as she went into a trance. She met the surge of power head on with her own as she quickly brought it under control.

Miroku and Sango were shocked to see what was happening to Kagome. They were about to get that ring out of her hands when her powers retreated back and her aura was normal once more.

Sango turned her heated eyes to the old man as she said in a deadly voice, "I want to know where you got that jewel from?"

The old man was shaking in fear as he saw the anger radiating from the female that was with the miko. "This ring has been in my family for centuries. It has been passed down and protected until its true owner could be found. If this young lady could not touch this ring then I would have known that this ring was not for her. The ring has a barrier on it that will not allow anyone to touch it. Not even I can touch it except when it's in the box.

"The instruction I got with this ring was that there will be a young lady that will be looking for a ring for her mate. Her mate was to be the current Daiyoukai of the West and ruler of all Youkai. The ring is supposed to be a symbol of her protection for her mate, as they will rule all the lands.

"I know now that this young lady is the rightful owner of this ring and my duty to protect it is now done."

Sango and Miroku were shocked to hear this. They have been told about a jewel that existed back in the Sengoku Jidai, but it disappeared and no one knew where it went. It was said that only a powerful miko could tame the jewel and its power. They both turned as they looked at Kagome to see if she was all right.

When Kagome touched the jewel her powers flared around her body. Her mind was overloaded with information as she absorbed it into her body. It was like a piece of her soul was finally returned to her as she took a deep breath and her eyes cleared.

She looked up to see that everyone was staring at her, asking, "Is something wrong?"

Sango came out of her shock first, as she said, "No, nothing is wrong, is this the ring that you were looking for Kagome?"

Kagome smiled, "Yes, this is the ring that I want for Sesshoumaru." She turned her attention to the old man as she said, "I'll take the ring."

The old man smiled as he wrapped up the ring and Kagome paid him with a personal check. After checking with the bank, to make sure that the check would not bounce, Kagome left the jewelry store with her friends as they continued to shop for the rest of her family.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was surprised to hear what the male ningen revealed to him. He never knew that ningens held life debts like Youkai. He was wondering whom the other two were that help protect his mate but that thought will have to wait. With his mate well protected he had his chance to go to his father's shiro and make sure that everything was prepared for his mating.

Sesshoumaru finally finished what he was working on, leaving his office he went up to his apartment. He retrieved a special key that he will need as he formed his golden orb and took off.

He traveled for about 2 hours when he finally arrived at his father's home. He formed his youki cloud under his feet as he continued to fly over the countryside. His father's home was still protected from everyone's view. No one knew of its location except the Youkai servants that still lived in the shiro. Its barriers prevented anyone from seeing it as he said his incantations to let him through the first of many barriers.

Sesshoumaru finally arrived at his father's shiro as the servants came out to greet their lord. It has been a while since he has been here and they were surprised to see him. He landed in the central courtyard as he looked around. This was the only place that has not changed with the passage of time. He kept his father's home the same way it was when he grew up here.

Sesshoumaru came to a stop as he saw the head servant bow deeply to him, "Welcome oh Lord of the Lands. We welcome you home."

"Kaito, come to my study we have much to discuss." Sesshoumaru said as he turned and walked toward his study.

Kaito didn't know what was going on as he quickly followed after Sesshoumaru. He was wondering why the lord was here since he rarely came here to visit.

Sesshoumaru walked into his study, he took his seat behind a large desk and turned his honey colored eyes toward the old servant, who has kept his home running in his absence. "Kaito, I want the mating chambers to be prepared. In four days I will return to the shiro and I will have my mate with me. Make sure that the shiro is prepared and that we are well guarded that night."

Kaito hazel eyes opened wide as he said, "Milord, you have finally found the mate you have been looking for? Who is she?"

"Who she is not your concern, Kaito, just know that this Sesshoumaru has found his mate and she will be the Lady of these Lands in four days' time. Make sure that the rest of the servants know what is going on. Anyone getting in my way will be killed, my inner Inu has waited a long time to find his mate and he will not tolerate anyone getting in his way of the mating." Sesshoumaru stated, while he pulled a key out of his pocket and gave it to Kaito.

Kaito took the offered key and said, "Everything will be ready for your mating milord. I will make sure that everyone understands what is going on."

Sesshoumaru smiled when he noticed that his servant left his study, Kaito will make sure everything is ready for his mating, and nothing could please him more. He sat back in his chair as he thought about his mate. His mind was so preoccupied with thoughts of Kagome and his mating night, that he was unaware of the female Youkai that was entering his study. He was caught off guard, taking in the scent of an intruder to his private domain, and he felt a pair of hands go around his neck. He gave a vicious growl as he lashed out with his claws.

-oOo-

Miyako noticed when Sesshoumaru came back to the shiro. She was a servant within the shiro and she was a brown Inu Youkai. She had brown hair, light brown eyes and she had curves in all the right places.

Miyako was a pretty Youkai that only had eyes for Sesshoumaru. She has been in love with Sesshoumaru for a very long time now. She has rejected every Youkai that wanted to mate her because she wanted the most powerful male in the lands. When he returned she saw this as her opportunity to get what she wanted.

She waited until Kaito left the study, as she got ready. Once he was gone she made her move. Miyako slowly opened the door to Sesshoumaru's study and noticed that he was sitting in his chair and he appeared to be deep in thought. She walked into the room as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She nipped his ear and growled, telling him that she wanted him.

She did not expect his reaction to her, she jumped back barely in time, missing the claws that came her way. She looked up with shocked eyes, "Lord Sesshoumaru, why did you attack me? All I wanted to do was tell you that I was interested and wanted you as my mate."

Sesshoumaru bared his fangs, snarling, "Bitch! This Sesshoumaru is not interested in you. I have my own female that I am courting, why do I want to be with you. Get out of here before you meet with your demise."

Miyako was heartbroken as she fled the room she was in. She knew that once Sesshoumaru was courting a female he will not go to any other. There was nothing she could do to change his mind.

Her anger took over as she snarled, _'So, he has found another female to mate with. I will have to teach this female a lesson and make sure that I kill her. Once I do he will see just how powerful I am and then mate me. I will not give up that easily. I have waited for a long time to mate Sesshoumaru and he will be my mate.'_

Miyako walked away from Sesshoumaru's study and started forming her own plan in her mind. He was going to be her mate and that female that he has chosen will be dead. It was within her right to challenge her for the right to mate and she was going to take advantage of it.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru's inner beast was in a feral state, being touched by that female did this to him. She expressed her desires for him but he has already chosen his mate, plus this female was nowhere near as powerful as the female he was courting.

His inner Inu did not want to be here and he tried to get control to go back to their lovely mate. Nothing Sesshoumaru did calmed his beast, he finally gave in to his request and left his father's home to go back to Kagome.

Sesshoumaru's beast settled down once he was away from the shiro. He knew that they were heading back towards their female and that was enough for him at the moment. He could not wait to be with her. His desires for her touch was a powerful yearning.

Inu Youkai were pack oriented. They have the dominant male that protects and provides for the pack. He is the symbol of power and all bowed down to him. No one gets close to the alpha except for the alpha female. She was his sole reason for living and protecting what was his.

It was the foundation of their social structure. Being pack members they were never alone. They had their female that always stayed by their side. They craved to be next to their mate, and touch became very important to his beast.

Sleeping was a new experience for his beast. He has the warmth of their chosen female and body contact was a must. He would curl his body around hers and protected her through the night. It was the start of his family and when their pups were born they will share in the comforts of their pack.

Sesshoumaru and his beast have been gifted with their mate. She enjoyed being held, she loved being caressed, but most of all, she returned that affection to them and he was happy. Touch was everything to them as affectionate nips are given to show their interest and love towards their preferred female.

Kagome also knew the mechanics about play. Inu's learned by playing with each other. They will often stalk each other to learn their hunting skills. But with a female it was different, they saw her as their mate, someone that they needed to dominate and protect.

Their play allowed the both of them to get to know each other and in this way his mate will always be submissive to him. Plus if he did it enough times the female will be receptive to mating, as they would tease her to the point where she will pounce on him and take what she desired.

He wondered if she will be receptive to his advances once they were mated. It will be interesting to find out. He knew that she was a very passionate being when she released her desires. He has already experienced that with his mate and he wanted more.

Sesshoumaru continued to travel back to the city as he thought about Kagome and what their first night of passion would be like. He could not wait for that day and he will finally have all of her.

-oOo-

Kagome was feeling strange. Ever since she touched that ring her senses were more in tune to what was going on around her. She could detect where Inuyasha was located and knew that he was still following her. For some reason she was no longer afraid of Inuyasha and felt that she could deal with whatever he was planning.

Every time he would get close to her she would turn to look in his direction. He would retreat to follow and try again, when he thought that she was not paying attention to her surroundings.

Kagome brought everyone in her family a Christmas gift as they went to have lunch in the food court. When they were done with their shopping Sango and Miroku took her home. She thanked her friends as they escorted her back to Taisho Corp and made sure that she got on the elevator.

Once back in her new home Kagome immediately noticed that Sesshoumaru was not in the building. She was wondering where he went as she dismissed the idea and went to put her presents away.

She sat on her bed as she looked at the ring that she got her mate. It was beautiful and it represented her mate perfectly. Kagome needed to put a protection spell on his ring. She knew that he was powerful but she still worried about him getting hurt.

Kagome watched as the little pink jewel in the middle of the crescent started to glow. The glow grew so bright that she had to close her eyes to protect them. When she finally opened her eyes again she found that she was in a place with white clouds. She wondered how she got there as she stood and looked around the area.

Kagome was beginning to get worried, she could not find her way out of this place. She looked off to the side as she saw someone walking towards her. She waited patiently for this person to come to her, maybe they would know how to get out of here.

Kagome noticed that the lone figure making their way towards her was a female. Finally she came to a stop in front of her as Kagome saw who she was. "It's you! I thought that you were a dream or a person that I imagined when I was a child. Who are you and why am I here?"

A tall female, dressed in elegant robes, came walking out of the fog. She has waited for a long time to find this female. She stopped in front of her as she heard what the young miko asked, "My name is Midoriko. We first meet when you were just a child. It was the only way for me to be able to talk to you back then. I was the one that planted the idea of having your wedding on the night of the full moon near Christmas."

Kagome's eyes opened wide at her statement, "You planted that idea? Why?"

"There is a reason why you must mate under the full moon of the winter solstice. This is the only time of year that your powers will be at their greatest. In order for you to have a true-life bond with your mate you must mate on this night. You must be pure in order to have this bond, which is why you were very adamant with Inuyasha about consummating your relationship with him prior to this night.

"You Kagome are also the heir to the Shikon No Tama and with it comes great responsibilities. Your mate must accept this and he must pledge to protect you with his life." Midoriko said as she looked at the young miko standing in front of her.

Kagome didn't know what to say. She has heard of the Shikon of old but no one knew what happened to the jewel. All she knew was that it disappeared off the face of the earth and they have been looking for it ever since. She turned her attention back to the elder miko as she asked, "Why are you telling me all of this? I don't have the Shikon and no one knows what happened to the jewel. It hasn't been seen in over 500 years."

Midoriko took a step forward, it will not be easy for this young child to hear, "Kagome, my child, the jewel existed 500 years ago. It was on its way to the one that was to protect it. But unfortunately the jewel was attacked before she could reach that person. You see Kagome the Shikon No Tama was not an actual jewel but a person with great powers.

"The jewel was to be mated to the heir of the West but she was attacked on her way to meet him. She did manage to kill the Youkai that attacked her but she lost her life in the process. Now the Kami's have brought you back to try again. It is his destiny to protect the Shikon No Tama and you are that jewel, Kagome.

"The ring that you brought today has the jewel that you created for your mate back then. It is a symbol of your love and protection for him. You needed to find this jewel and we have kept it safe over the centuries. Now that it's back in your hands you can give it to the one that you love."

This was a lot of information for Kagome to take in. She listened to everything that was said to her as she recognized the voice. It was the same voice that spoke to her when she was in that pink orb. "You were the one who spoke to me on the night that I found out that Inuyasha was cheating on me. You told me that I will find the male that I was looking for and that he will love me for the rest of my life."

"Yes, I was the one that spoke to you that night. You were so heartbroken over what that hanyou did to you that you wanted to give up on your life. I could not let you do that. You have too much to live for and Sesshoumaru has been waiting centuries to find you. You are his match and he will be the perfect mate for you. Now you must wake, because your mate will be home soon." Midoriko then turned as she started to walk away from Kagome. Another bright flash of light caught Kagome as she slowly opened her eyes.

Kagome found herself lying in bed. She sensed that she was still alone as she rubbed her forehead. She had a tremendous headache and needed an aspirin. She put away the ring she got for her mate, making sure he did not find it until she gave it to him on their wedding day. She walked out of her bedroom as she went to find her purse, she knew she had aspirins in there. She found what she was looking for as she took two tablets and then set about cooking dinner.

While Kagome was cooking she was deep in thought about what she learned from Midoriko. She could not believe that she had a past life and now she was back to fulfill her destiny. She knew that she had to mate on the night of the full moon near Christmas but she really didn't understand the reason why. It was only a great desire that she do this, now she finds out that it was Midoriko who was guiding her.

Kagome finished cooking when she noticed that her mate was still not back. She ate alone as she put a plate of food for him in the microwave and then went to bed. Her head still ached and she wanted to rest.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru traveled back to his home as fast as possible. It was late and he was sure that his mate was waiting for him. He finally arrived back home as he made his way to his apartment. He sensed that his mate was back home and that she was safe.

Sesshoumaru entered his apartment and noticed right away the wonderful smell that was in the kitchen. He walked in and noticed that there was a note on the counter for him as he read, _"Sesshoumaru, I have left your food in the microwave for when you get home. I have gone to bed and I will see you in the morning."_

Sesshoumaru opened the microwave and smelled the wonderful food that his mate prepared for him. He heated it up as he sat down to eat. When he was done he cleaned his mess and went to bed. He found his mate asleep as he heard her whimper in pain. He was wondering what was wrong with her as he took off his clothes and joined her.

The moment he placed his arms around Kagome's body she settled down and went back to sleep. The pain she was feeling started going away. His inner Inu purred and soothed her as he took in her scent and joined their mate in the land of dreams. He was happy now that his female was in his arms as he fell asleep.

-oOo-

Well this is the end to another chapter. This chapter was the turning point for this story. It was the crazy idea that Sesshoumaru came up with for the competition that made this a story instead of a one shot.

The wedding is finally approaching and soon Kagome and Sesshoumaru will be married. But Inuyasha is not one to give up so easily. Join me in the next chapter as things go from bad to worse when Inuyasha tries to stop the wedding.

Until the next time

Jani!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The next morning Sesshoumaru noticed a change in his mate. Her aura was more powerful but she seemed to be in pain. He watched her as she cleaned up the kitchen, when she was done, he approached, "Kagome are you not feeling well?"

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru as she said, "I'm fine, I just feel so tired for some reason. I don't know what is wrong with me."

Sesshoumaru picked her up in his arms, he then went into the living room and sat down on the couch. He held her in his arms as he soothed her.

Kagome cuddled closer to Sesshoumaru. She was not feeling well and she had no idea why. But she felt that if she could just rest she will be all right a little later. She snuggled closer to her mate as she fell asleep in his arms.

Sesshoumaru stayed home all day. Kagome's illness was troubling him. He could not detect anything wrong with her but she seemed to be very tired. He did notice that her body seemed to be changing and her aura was getting more powerful. It was like she was coming into new powers and her body was adjusting to it.

He stayed with her for the next couple of days. He would not let her get out of bed for anything except to go to the bathroom to relieve herself. He made sure that she ate and rested, never leaving her side.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru woke up with a start, his mate was gone from his embrace as he searched for her. He sensed that she was in the kitchen as he made his way there. When he got there he found his lovely mate cooking their morning meal. He walked in, saying, "Kagome what are you doing up? You should still be in bed resting."

Kagome turned as she smiled at her mate. "I'm back to normal now. Whatever it was that I had is gone and I'm feeling better. I have to go see my mother today. The wedding is tomorrow and I have to make sure that everything is in order."

Sesshoumaru noticed that she was indeed back to her normal self as he replied, "Very well, after breakfast we shall go and see your mother. But if I see that you are over doing it we will return home and you will go back to bed."

Kagome smiled as she turned and placed the food on their plates and then set them on the table. She got two cups of coffee as she went and sat down to enjoy her breakfast. They both ate their meal and once they were done they cleaned up the kitchen and went to get dressed.

Of course before they got dressed Sesshoumaru had his way with his mate. He had not been able to taste her for a few days and he craved her juices. Once he satisfied his desires for her and she gifted him with a couple of orgasms, they went in to get a shower and then got dressed.

They left their apartment as they headed toward her mother's home. It only took them 5 minutes to get there and when they landed on the ground the wind was whipping around their bodies. Sesshoumaru put his nose up as he sniffed the air. There was a lot of moisture in the air and it was getting colder. It meant that there was a storm coming and it was going to be bad.

He turned his attention toward his mate as he said, "Kagome, it looks like we are about to have a snow storm. The weather is changing and there is moisture in the air."

Kagome heard what Sesshoumaru was saying, "I'm not worried, by tomorrow night the storm will be gone and then we will be married."

Sesshoumaru noticed the change in Kagome's voice. It was richer somehow, more regal when she spoke. They turned as they headed towards her home. They entered Kagome's house as she yelled, "MAMA! I'm home!"

Asumi came walking out of the kitchen while she greeted her daughter and Sesshoumaru. "Kagome what are you doing here? I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow for the ceremony. Is something wrong?"

Kagome looked at her mother, and replied, "No, nothing is wrong, I just wanted to make sure that everything is ready for tomorrow."

Asumi noticed something different about her daughter, so she turned her attention towards Sesshoumaru. She noticed the concern in his eyes, and she wanted to speak to him alone to find out what was going on. She turned towards her daughter and said, "Kagome, could you please go and watch the pot of oden that I'm making. I don't want it to burn."

At the mention of oden Kagome raced into the kitchen to make sure that her favorite meal did not burn.

Asumi watched her daughter run into the kitchen. She knew that mentioning her favorite meal would make her leave in a hurry. She then turned her attention to Sesshoumaru, "Sesshoumaru, what is wrong with Kagome? She is not acting like herself."

Sesshoumaru let out a breath he did not know he was holding, as he continued to look in the direction that his mate ran off to. "I have no idea what is going on. She became sick a few days ago. It was not a cold or virus but she seemed extremely tired and only wanted to sleep. I noticed that her aura is growing stronger and her powers were increasing. It's like she is coming into a new level of power and her body was adjusting to the change."

Asumi heard this as she looked in the same direction as Sesshoumaru. She did not know what was going on but she will find out before the end of the day.

Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to Asumi, "Asumi, is everything ready for tomorrow? Do we need to get anything else for the ceremony?"

Asumi turned and said, "No, we have everything we need for tomorrow. There is nothing to do. I guess Kagome just wanted to come home for a little while and be with me. It happens to females this close to their wedding. They start getting nervous and seek their mother's advice on things."

Sesshoumaru understood what she was saying, "I understand, I will leave Kagome here with you. I will put a barrier around the shrine that will not allow Inuyasha to get close to Kagome. I have to go and retrieve my attire for tomorrow and see to my other arrangements for the mating. I will return later on today to get Kagome. Please do not let her leave the shrine."

Asumi understood his instructions as they walked into the kitchen. They found Kagome near the stove as she was stirring her oden with care. She really did not want it to burn.

Sesshoumaru chuckled as he said, "Kagome, I will leave you here with your mother to tend to the arrangements for tomorrows ceremony. I have to go and get my attire for the event and I will be back for you later."

Kagome smiled at her mate as she kissed him goodbye. She was happy that she will be spending some time alone with her mother. She was getting nervous, as the day grew closer to getting married. She was getting cold feet, and wondered if she was doing the right thing.

Her heart and her brain were still at war with each other. One would argue that she loved Sesshoumaru. The other would say that she has only known him for less than a month and she should really think about this.

Asumi noticed that her daughter was really deep in thought. She moved and turned off the stove as she covered the oden to finish cooking later. She turned to Kagome and said, "Let's go upstairs and make sure that your wedding dress does not need any alterations. I hate to see that you have lost weight and now the dress doesn't fit."

Kagome chuckled as she followed her mother up to her old room. Her mother kept it the same as the day she left home. It was a place she could always come to when she was troubled. They spent the next hour taking in Kagome's dress to make sure it fit her.

Once the fitting was done, Kagome was sitting down on her bed as she thought about the wedding. She was scared, there was no other way to put it, she was just plain scared. She was about to give up her freedom to be mated to Sesshoumaru.

In the time that Kagome has known Sesshoumaru he has been very giving. He has not denied her anything that she has requested, and he was fair. If he ever said no to her it was because he thought that she might get hurt or she was not protected enough.

But the one thing that kept running through her mind, were the things that Midoriko said to her. She really did not understand everything she was told. All she knew was that she was feeling different ever since she brought that ring for Sesshoumaru.

Asumi looked at her daughter with concern. Kagome was just sitting there with a blank expression on her face and she was just starring off into space. She knew that something was bothering her daughter. It was her motherly instinct that was telling her that something was wrong and she has never been off mark when it came to her children.

Asumi sat next to Kagome as she put her arm around her shoulder and said in a motherly tone of voice, "Kagome, I know that something is bothering you. Why don't you tell me about it? You never know, I just might have the answers you are looking for, if you talk to me."

Kagome listened to her mother as she sighed. She knew that once her mother got this way she will get her to talk no matter how much she did not want to tell her. But in the past her mother has always been able to help her solve her problems. Maybe her mother could offer some insight to the things that Midoriko said.

She sighed as she began her tale, "I don't know mom, I have been feeling really strange lately. It started a couple of days ago when I went with Sango and Miroku to pick out a wedding ring for Sesshoumaru. We went to the mall and I was getting discouraged because none of the jewelry stores had what I was looking for. I wanted a ring that was worthy of Sesshoumaru and I wanted it to represent what he means to me."

Kagome continued with her story as she told her mother what she went through to locate a ring for her mate, and then when she found what she was looking for, "Mom, this jewel called to me. It radiated a power that I never felt before. The store owner allowed me to hold it and when I touched it, I felt that I went to a different place and time as all this information was being revealed to me. I thought that maybe I might have passed out but when I refocused, I found that Sango and Miroku were looking at me weird. I asked them what was wrong but they said nothing.

"I brought the ring and then went home. But when I took the ring out in the apartment that's when I met her. I met Midoriko and she said that I was destined to find that ring for Sesshoumaru. She said that I was the Shikon No Tama, and that I created the jewel in his ring as a symbol of my love and protection.

"I don't understand what she was trying to tell me. I wish I knew because I feel that my powers are growing and that I'm changing in some way."

Asumi listened to what Kagome was saying. Her eyes opened wide as she understood what Midoriko was telling her. She took a deep breath as she said, "Kagome, let's go downstairs and get some tea. I may be able to tell you what Midoriko meant."

Kagome agreed as she followed her mother down to the kitchen for the promised tea.

Once Asumi was done making tea she sat down at the table with her daughter. She saw Kagome with something in her hands as she asked, "Kagome, what are you holding?"

Kagome looked up from the box in her hands, taking a deep breath, replied, "This is Sesshoumaru's wedding ring. I brought it with me, along with everyone's Christmas presents, so it will be here for tomorrow. I don't want to take the chance of forgetting it at the apartment. Sesshoumaru hasn't seen it yet and I don't want him to until tomorrow night."

Asumi looked at the ring closely as she reached for it but before she could touch it a powerful barrier was wrapped around the ring that prevented her from reaching it. It did not do her any harm but she was curious as to why the jewel would not let her touch it.

Kagome became alarmed when she saw her mother quickly pull her hand away like she was hurt, "Mama, are you all right? The ring didn't hurt you did it?"

"No honey, it must recognize that I'm your mother so it didn't hurt me, but it will not allow me to touch it." Asumi said as she continued to sip her tea. Asumi then began to tell Kagome what she thought Midoriko meant.

"Kagome, there is a legend about the Shikon No Tama and it goes something like this. 500 years ago there lived the high priestess of the lands. She was named as such because she was the most powerful miko in all the lands. She was the embodiment of what the Shikon stood for. So in a sense the Shikon No Tama was a person and not a jewel as many thought that it was.

"There was a prophecy that stated that the most powerful miko will mate the elder son of the Youkai Lord of the West. It was said that his powers were so great that he will never be able to find a mate that was suitable for him.

"When the High Priestess came of age the council of priest and miko's sent word to the Youkai Lord of the West that they had the perfect mate for his son. They explained that their union will unite the Youkai and ningens, bringing peace to their lands. The Youkai Lord sent word back that he would like for them to bring this girl to him, so she could meet his son and heir. So a date was set for them to travel to the west.

"They left about a week before the full moon of the winter solstice. But before they left their village the High priestess created a jewel that she would gift her mate to be with. It was to be the symbol of her love and protection for him. She took part of her soul to create this jewel and that it was very small.

"The High Priestess was to travel to the west with 5 miko's and 5 priests, when they were ready they left this area heading toward the west, so she could meet the Youkai that was destined to be her mate. But along the way Youkai attacked the High Priestess. The miko's and priests with her battled hard to protect her but they lost their lives in the fight.

"The High priestess fought hard, they wanted to take away her jewel and if they managed to get it, they would taint the jewel, causing a shift in power. The Youkai that was in charge of the attacking Youkai was named Naraku. He knew what he was doing and he wanted the jewel. It would give him the power he craved and he would finally get his heart's desire, to be ruler of all the lands.

"The High Priestess was not about to let him have the jewel and continued to battle. She was wounded severely, but before the Youkai could take her jewel, she released a tremendous amount of power that killed all the Youkai in a twenty-five mile radius.

"The High Priestess fell that day and it was said that Midoriko found her just before she died. The High Priestess still had the jewel as Midoriko took the jewel to protect it.

"The legend then says that Midoriko knew that the High Priestess would be reincarnated to fulfill her destiny and mate with the Western Lords son. No one knew what Midoriko did with the jewel. There were Youkai and ningens alike that were looking for the jewel but no one knew where it was located, except for Midoriko.

"Now you come home and tell me that you have actually found the jewel that was created by the high priestess and that you are feeling strange. Kagome, I believe that you are the High Priestess of long ago and that you have come back to meet your destiny. The jewel you have is part of your soul, the missing piece if you will. It has now been reunited with you and your powers are now complete. That is why you have been feeling strange lately."

Kagome was listening to her mother, as she spoke of the legend of the High Priestess, Kagome started to see what happened on that day. She saw everything through her mind's eye as she saw her own death.

But then she started to see what happened after her death as all was revealed to her.

_**-Flash back-**_

Midoriko came rushing into the clearing as she was looking around. Everywhere she looked there were dead Youkai and she also noticed the dead miko's and priests that were with the high priestess. She was looking frantically around the area, trying to find the high priestess. She finally found her sitting up against a tree as she rushed to her side.

Midoriko finally reached the priestess as she asked, "Are you all right?" That's when she noticed that she was kneeling in something wet and hot. She looked down to see the blood that was seeping out of the wound in her back that was starting to soak the ground around her.

The high priestess slowly opened her eyes as she saw the other miko. She said in a low voice, "Please forgive me, I was just barely strong enough to kill them all before they got to the jewel."

"Shh, don't try to talk, I need to get you to the healers. I will make sure that you are taken care of." Midoriko tried hard to heal her wounds but it was already too late.

The high priestess laughed as blood came from her mouth, "No, it's too late for me. Tell the Western Lord that I was honored for the offer to mate his son." The high priestess then took her last breath as she died from her injuries.

Midoriko was heartbroken as she said, "Imouto-san, I will protect your jewel until you return to this world. I'm sorry that I failed in protecting you." Midoriko cried as she lost her younger sister. She picked her up in her arms as she made her way back home.

When she arrived at their village the alarm went out that someone has attacked the high priestess, but their efforts were wasted as they discovered that she was already dead. They prepared her body for the afterlife as they cremated the body and put her ashes in an urn and built a shrine in her honor. There they laid her ashes to rest as word spread throughout the land that the great high priestess was dead.

Many came to pay their respect to their fallen miko. But it was Midoriko who was hurting the most. She left the village and traveled around the country as she helped all those in need.

After many years of roaming the lands Midoriko finally found a worthy family that could protect the jewel. She had a plan as she outlined it for the clan leader. "Rokuro, you must promise me that this jewel will be kept safe. There will be a female that will be looking for something special for her mate, her mate is to be the Western Lord eldest son, and when that day comes you will know if she is the one that the jewel belongs to.

"Until then, I have placed a spell on this box that will protect the jewel. It will kill any Youkai that tries to take it away from you and it will severely burn any ningen that thinks they can have the jewel. As long as the jewel is in this box you will be safe but if you try to remove it, its powers will turn on you."

Rokuro understood the miko's words as he promised that he will protect the jewel for as long as his family is needed. Then Midoriko left his village never to be seen again. The jewel was kept safe in the village as time moved on. Each generation of Rokuro family took on the responsibility of the jewel until its rightful owner could be found.

_**-End of Flash Back-**_

Kagome finally understood what Midoriko was saying. But what really took her by surprise was that she was her aneki. This was news to her, she did not think that the miko Midoriko was part of her family line.

Midoriko must have known that she would return and kept her jewel safe until she needed it. Her mother was correct when she said that she was feeling whole now, that's why the jewel glowed so brightly when she held it in her hands.

Kagome now understood what she had to do to release the rest of her soul from the ring. It could not be done until the night of the full moon and Sesshoumaru will have to agree to protect her before she was whole once more.

Kagome looked up from the ring as she said, "Mama, I want you to keep this ring until tomorrow. The barrier will stay to protect the jewel until I can release the rest of my soul. It will not hurt you as long as it stays in the box." Kagome then put the ring away as she handed the box to her mother.

Asumi was honored that she was picked to keep the ring safe until the ceremony. She got up as she went into her room and put the ring in a safe place. She returned to her daughter and asked, "Kagome, do you now understand what Midoriko was trying to tell you?"

Kagome shifted her eyes toward her mother as she said, "Yes, I understand the meaning behind her words. Now that I fully understand what the jewel is I have to make sure that it stays safe until the ceremony tomorrow. With me touching the ring, I have awakened the power that lays dormant inside it. Youkai for miles around will feel its power so I have placed a spell on it to suppress it. I can't take the chance that someone will come to take that ring."

Asumi understood what her daughter was saying as she saw Kagome get up from her chair and walked out of the room. She quickly followed her as she asked, "Kagome, where are you going?"

Asumi did not get an answer from Kagome as she rushed to put on her coat and boots to follow her daughter outside.

Kagome had a thought, she recognized the area where the shrine that held the High Priestesses ashes were located, as she got up and walked outside. She did not even hear her mother talking to her as she went to the main shrine area.

Kagome was looking at everything there as she started to go to a secluded place in the shrine. She stopped at a vacant spot on the grounds as she looked at it. It felt familiar to her in some way. She felt her mother running up behind her and then stop, "Mama, what happened to the shrine that was here?"

Asumi was almost out of breath by the time she caught up to Kagome. She was walking quickly around the shrine as she finally came to a stop. She heard her daughters question as she said, "The shrine that stood in this spot was destroyed."

Kagome turned toward her mother, "How was it destroyed?"

Asumi immediately saw that Kagome's eyes were a very light blue almost white in color. She took a deep breath as she said, "The day before I gave birth to you a typhoon came through the area. When it was finally over the only damage that the shrine took, was that it destroyed the shrine that was standing here. There was nothing left of the shrine, not even the wood that was used to built it, everything that was inside the shrine vanished."

Asumi was concerned for her daughter as she asked, "Kagome, why are you asking me this? How did you know that there was a shrine here?"

Kagome looked into the sky, as she finally understood something that was puzzling her. "The day this shrine was destroyed it released my soul so I could return. My soul was in the urn that held my ashes. I am the High Priestess of the Shikon No Tama. I have finally come back to fulfill my destiny. My aneki, Midoriko, can finally rest in peace once I mate, she has protected me for all these centuries and now it is time that she went to her eternal sleep."

At that moment Kagome started to glow a pure white in color as her powers grew. She was now free to marry the male that was destined to be her mate. She understood what was required of her and this time there will be no one that will interfere with what she had to do. They turned as Kagome and her mother walked back into the house. It was beginning to snow and soon it will turn into a blizzard.

-oOo-

Inuyasha has been lurking around the Higurashi shrine all day. He arrived shortly after Sesshoumaru and Kagome got there. He has been trying to get to Kagome for days now but she was constantly with someone every time he tried. He came close at the mall but when he was close enough to her she would turn and look at him.

Those piercing blue eyes were still cold, as he would turn and flee the area. He continued to watch her but Miroku and Sango would not leave her side. He knew that he could not get close to her as long as they were with her. He has already felt Sango's wrath and he was not about to be stopped by her again.

He was hiding his scent and aura from his brother. He knew that Sesshoumaru would not leave the area if he detected him on the grounds. He finally saw Sesshoumaru leave as he leaped higher into the sky. He jumped from tree branch to tree branch and when he was about to enter the shrine a powerful barrier threw him back as he landed on the forest ground.

He growled when he realized that Sesshoumaru left a barrier behind that will not let him through to get to his female.

Inuyasha was slowly losing control over his beast. He was getting upset at not being able to get to his female. He knew that he could not defeat Sesshoumaru, but he wanted to see if he could take the female and mate her before his brother knew what was going on.

He jumped back into the highest tree, as he continued his vigilance. Then a few hours later he saw Kagome walking out of her home and started walking to the main shrine area. He followed behind her to see where she was going. He stopped on a branch as he observed what she was going to do.

Inuyasha saw as Asumi joined her daughter on the grounds. He could not hear what they were talking about because the wind was howling through the area. But then he saw his mate's power grow as her aura turned a pure white in color.

Inuyasha's beast was mesmerized by her power. He has chosen a female that was very powerful, the one to mate and dominate her will get powerful pups. He cursed his rational side for letting go of who he has chosen as a mate. She would have submitted to him because she loved him but now that he has proven his infidelity to her, she will not mate with him.

He wanted her as his lust for her grew. He tried again to gain entry into the shrine but his brother's barrier was proving difficult to break. His beast was going feral the more he fought the barrier. When they went back inside the house he moved away from the area. He remembered that they were to mate on the night of the full moon and he will wait for his chance. He made a vow that he will be the one to mate her even if he had to kill his brother, or die trying.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru flew back to his father's shiro to make sure that all the preparations were in place for the next day. He spoke to Kaito and was informed that everyone in the shiro knew what was about to happen. He then gave Sesshoumaru his ceremonial clothing for his mating as Sesshoumaru took them and left. He did not have much time and he did not want to leave his female unguarded for too long.

Sesshoumaru knew that his brother was somewhere near the shrine, Inuyasha thought that he could hide from him. He was not powerful enough to do it and he knew where Inuyasha was located. He placed his barrier around Kagome's home in hopes of keeping his brother away from his mate. Every time he tried to break into his barrier he felt it as his inner beast responded to the attack. He tried to break free of his control so he could go after his brother.

Sesshoumaru raced back to the city as he stopped by his apartment and dropped off his attire for the ceremony and then left to go and get Kagome. He missed her and wanted nothing more than to have her in his arms.

He landed in the middle of the shrine as he sniffed the air. It was snowing heavily when he noticed that his brother was still in the area. He growled, warning his brother to keep away from his female, as he walked toward Kagome's home. He knocked on the door as he waited to be let in.

Asumi opened the door and greeted Sesshoumaru. Then held her finger to her lips as she whispered, "Come with me."

Sesshoumaru followed her into the living room, when he looked around he spotted his mate asleep on the love seat. She had a blanket on top of her as she slept peacefully. She looked beautiful in his eyes and let a deep purr escape his chest when his beast saw her.

Asumi turned in surprise when she heard the purr come from Sesshoumaru. It was the first time that she has actually heard a purr come from a Youkai. She noticed when Sesshoumaru moved towards her daughter and cradled her in his arms. He took such great care not to wake her while he wrapped her up in the blanket.

Sesshoumaru turned as he said, "I will have her here by tomorrow afternoon, that way she will have plenty of time to prepare for the ceremony."

Asumi smiled at Sesshoumaru as he turned to leave. Once outside he formed his golden orb and left the shrine in a hurry as he went home with his mate. He noticed right away that his brother was following him but that there was a slight change in him. His aura was stronger, because his beast was slowly taking over.

This could mean trouble if his brother confronts his own beast. His inner Inu will not back down to him when it came to the female in his arms. She was everything that he wanted and he was determined to keep her safe.

He finally arrived home as his wards and barriers prevented his brother from following him home. He went straight to his room as he placed his sleeping angel in bed. He unwrapped her from the blanket and then carefully removed her clothes. 

Kagome only protested once, and that was when he stepped away from her. Sesshoumaru finally settled down next to his mate as she immediately turned and cuddled closer to his chest. She found her favorite spot to sleep as she settled down for the night.

Sesshoumaru just laid there with his mate as he kept a silent vigil over her. His brother was beginning to worry him. If Inuyasha went feral he will be hard to handle and he really did not want to destroy the shrine if they got into a fight. He will have to think of a way to stop him if it came down to that as he finally closed his eyes and fell asleep with Kagome in his arms.

-oOo-

During the night the city experienced the worst snow storm of the season. It continued well into the morning as the city struggled to keep the roads cleared.

Sesshoumaru was lying in bed awake. He has been up almost all night as he kept a silent vigil over his mate. His brother was troublesome throughout the night. He attempted to break through his barrier as he flared his youki and pushed him away from the area. He could not risk his brother attacking his home and hurting Kagome.

But Sesshoumaru's worst fears were being realized when he sensed that his brother's Youkai has finally taken control. Inuyasha was not happy that he lost his female and he wanted her back.

He had no wish to hurt his brother but if he touched Kagome he will not hesitate to kill him. He has given him plenty of warnings and if he was stupid enough to challenge him for the female then he will take him up on it.

Inuyasha woke Kagome last night as she shot out of Sesshoumaru's arms looking wildly around the room. He had a hard time trying to soothe her back to sleep, but he eventually managed to do it. He stayed awake for the rest of the night as he made sure that his idiot brother did not wake her again.

Right now he was tired as he closed his eyes and finally fell asleep in the early morning hours.

-oOo-

Kagome slowly opened her eyes. She could sense that Inuyasha was close by. He was too close for her liking as she slowly made her way out of Sesshoumaru's arms and got out of bed. It took her a few minutes to get him to release her but she did manage to do it.

Kagome put on her robe as she walked out of their bedroom. She went into the living room as she looked out at the city. It was still snowing outside and it looked beautiful. It was peaceful and it relaxed her as she watched the snow slowly drifting to the ground.

It was a change to see the city like this. It looked clean and beautiful. She turned her eyes downward as she looked at the building across the street. There standing on the roof of the building was Inuyasha. His aura was a deep red as she saw the red in his eyes. His beast has taken over completely and she knew that he will be trouble.

Kagome noticed when he jumped the distance between the buildings as he was trying to get to her. The barrier protecting Sesshoumaru's home would not let him anywhere near the building. She observed as he fought against the barrier, his youki growing in power.

Kagome knew that if he continued to attack Sesshoumaru's barrier it will wake him from his slumber. She did not want that to happen. She opened the window, as she took her finger and pointed it at the hanyou. She shot a small blast of her Reiryoku towards him as it hit him in the chest. She did not purify him all the way but it was enough to send him away from the area.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she went into the kitchen to make breakfast. She was excited, by tonight she will be fully mated to Sesshoumaru, hopefully that will stop Inuyasha from coming after her.

Kagome was humming softly to herself, she was thinking about her wedding as a smile came to her lips. She really could not wait for this evening. Her mating has been a long time in coming and she hoped that this time she will not be stopped from mating the male that was chosen for her, as she continued cooking.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru's nose twitched as he picked up the aroma of something wonderful. He slowly opened his eyes and noticed right away that his mate was gone from his arms. He quickly sat up as he sniffed the air. The scent coming from the kitchen told him where Kagome was located.

He got up as he went after his female. He noticed that his brother was not in the area and he was happy to feel him gone. He walked into the kitchen as he saw Kagome humming a song and cooking. It was omelets this morning as he walked in and kissed her on her neck.

Since the day he asked her to be his mate he has enjoyed her wonderful cooking. He never wanted to go out and eat anymore as he preferred her cooking to anyone else's. Kagome's mother was a wonderful cook but his mate had that certain touch that made the food even more desirable.

Sesshoumaru felt when Kagome wrapped her aura around his body as she gently caressed him. It was the first time since they have been together that she has done that. It felt wonderful as he felt her love for him.

He released her as he said, "Good morning Kagome, how did you sleep?"

Kagome moved her head off to the side when she felt her mate nuzzling her neck. She loved when he did that to her as she melted in his arms. She heard his question as she said, "I slept good, though I had a nightmare last night but other than that I'm well rested."

She felt his chest vibrate as she growled low in her throat. She learned, during the time that she was with him, that his inner Inu would respond to her growls. It was like she was speaking to his inner Inu and she loved it.

She has learned a lot of things about Sesshoumaru. Touch was very important to him, he always wanted to be touching her and she was in heaven. Inuyasha never wanted contact with her and she often wondered why. Now that she has been with Sesshoumaru she learned that it was his inner Inu that wanted the contact.

She did a lot of research on Inu Youkai and found plenty of things that she could do that would please her mate to be. She understood his touches and nips. They were meant as affection towards her and she responded in kind to him. The nuzzling under his chin was a part of his nature. It meant that she accepted him as her mate and his advances were welcomed.

She finished her cooking as they went to sit down and eat. When they were done eating they got ready to leave for the shrine. By the time they got there, they still had about six hours before the wedding started.

They both were walking towards her home when she saw her mother coming out of her house to greet them. Kagome then gave her mother their Christmas presents before she forgot. With her pending marriage she will be too busy with her mate to come back Christmas day to give them to her family. Then they both noticed that the snow was slowly stopping.

Sesshoumaru noticed this and thought that his mate was correct in her prediction, the snow will be gone by this evening.

Kagome turned as she heard someone calling her name. She saw Sango, Miroku, Ayame, and Koga coming her way. She was excited to see her friends as she waited for them to reach her.

Sesshoumaru noticed the wolf Youkai that were with the ningens. He recognized them immediately as he growled in a high pitch sound that Kagome will not be able to hear but that the wolves could.

Koga and Ayame heard the growls coming from Sesshoumaru, _"Do not bow to me nor address me as your lord. The female does not know that this Sesshoumaru is Lord of these Lands."_

Koga and Ayame understood his orders as they finally reached the area where they were located.

Kagome hugged all of her friends as she said, "I'm glad that you all could come. I was afraid that the snow might stop you from getting here."

Sango laughed as she said, "Like we will ever miss the wedding of our best friend. Now we have six hours to get this shrine ready. Are you ready to start?"

Kagome laughed as she said, "Yes, I'm ready." She then turned to her mate as she said, "Sesshoumaru I want you to meet my other two friends. This is Koga and Ayame, they will be working with me when I make that presentation on the 12th."

Sesshoumaru nodded his acknowledgement of his mate's friends, "It's a pleasure to meet you." He then turned his attention to his mate as he asked, "Kagome, what do we need to do to get the shrine ready for tonight?"

Kagome smiled at her mate as she responded, "No, I don't need you here to get everything ready. Why don't you go and I'll see you later tonight. The ceremony will start at 6pm, so don't be late."

Sesshoumaru looked at his mate with confusion, he had no idea why she did not want him to help her.

Asumi seeing the confusion in his eyes stated, "Sesshoumaru, it's a ningen tradition that the male must leave his bride and is not allowed to see her until the ceremony. To do so will bring bad luck. Don't worry, Kagome will be well protected while she is here and we will get everything ready for this evening."

Sesshoumaru now understood as he leaned down and kissed Kagome. He released her from his grasp, as he turned his heated eyes toward the ones there that were to guard his mate. His eyes revealed everything to them as he formed his golden orb and took off into the sky.

Kagome looked on as Sesshoumaru disappeared from the area. She then turned towards her friends and said, "Come on you guys, we have a lot to do before the ceremony."

Kagome and her friends then went to set up the area that the ceremony was to be held in. Between Koga and Ayame they removed the snow from the area as they blew it all to the side and cleared a path from Kagome's home to the tree.

Then Miroku and Koga helped Kagome's grandfather set up a platform where the ceremony was to take place, and covered it with a white rug, that was decorated with golden moons and stars. They then placed a small table, where her grandfather will read the scriptures to marry them as they got everything ready. When they were done it was a site to behold.

The tree looked beautiful as lanterns were placed on the low hanging branches to light the area when night fell.

Then the females took Kagome and went inside to get her ready. It was tradition that the females of the clan get the female ready to meet her husband.

Asumi took her daughter and bathed her with rich oils and perfumes as she got her ready to give to the male that will protect her for the rest of her life. When they were done bathing her they sat Kagome down on a chair as they began to do her hair.

Sango took her hair and pulled it to the back of her head, she left a few strands of hair on each side of her face as she curled them. She took the rest of her hair and placed curls in them and then added white flowers to make it look like a crown of flowers.

They put on very little makeup to keep her as natural as possible. Then it was time to get her dressed. Kagome had a long silky white dress that was strapless, the dress itself came down to the floor but did not trail behind her. It fit her figure to perfection as they then got the over coat and put it on. The coat was something that was passed down from mother to daughter through the years.

They tied an obi around her waist as they all stood back and looked at her. The coat was beautiful as scenes of the forest and animals were depicted on the fabric. It was the sign of a miko's power since they were one with nature.

The middle of the obi had the image of the Shikon No Tama stitched in the center with a blue tear drop, it was the symbol of her shrine and she wore it proudly. Kagome looked beautifully dressed in the garment as she looked in the mirror.

She turned around when she saw her mother come up behind her with a large box in her hands. She looked at the box with curiosity as her mother opened it and said, "Sesshoumaru wanted you to wear this tonight. I think that this could be the something new and something blue that you must have for good luck."

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she saw the crescent moon pedant and ear rings that were for her. They matched her ring perfectly as she leaned down and let her mother put the necklace around her neck.

Kagome turned around as she looked in the mirror. The necklace and earrings were beautiful and they had a certain glow to them. Then she heard Sango say, "Oh Kagome, that necklace is gorgeous! It matches your dress perfectly."

Ayame echoed Sango's sentiment as they were both standing behind Kagome looking at her. They had dressed early so they could both be on hand to help dress Kagome. With everything that they had to do they knew that her mother would need help. They continued to put the final finishing touches on Kagome as they hurried to get her ready.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was in his apartment as he got dressed for the ceremony. He was wearing his ceremonial white robes. It fit his body to perfection as the fabric shrunk to fit his body.

He had a sash that went around his waist that was blue in color. In the middle of the sash was a golden crescent moon, the mark of his clan. He wore a gold band around his head and in the middle there was a golden circle that fit right around the crescent moon on his forehead. His mark was glowing this night as his powers were growing. His body was getting ready for the mating that will take place later on tonight.

His long waist coat fit him perfectly and he was finally satisfied with the way he looked. He had the other half of Kagome's wedding ring in his sash as he slipped his sword into place and he was ready to go.

Sesshoumaru formed his golden orb as he left his apartment and streaked across the almost night sky. Soon the moon will be in place and the ceremony will begin. He looked up at the sky as he traveled and noticed that the clouds have left the area. You could see the stars starting to peek through the sky as he continued on his way.

He landed in the middle of the shrine grounds as he made his way over to the Goshinboku. The others that were with Kagome were already there as he approached.

-oOo-

Koga was still pissed at Miroku and Sango for not telling him who Kagome was mating. Imagine their surprised when they saw Sesshoumaru standing next to their longtime friend when they came here this morning.

He heard Sesshoumaru's growls, warning them not to bow to him. He did not understand why he did not tell Kagome that he was the Youkai Lord of the Lands. He was the most powerful and the only remaining lord that still ruled. The other lords were all killed in the wars that came over their lands as the ningens fought against the Youkai. The only one that they could not defeat was Sesshoumaru, they struck a deal with him and they all lived in peace together.

"You and Sango should have told us that Kagome was mating Sesshoumaru. I don't like to be caught off guard when it comes to that Youkai. One wrong move on my part and I would be dead. Next time don't keep us in the dark." Koga said as he looked at his friend with heated eyes.

Miroku was at a loss for words, "Koga I still don't understand why you are so upset. I know that Sesshoumaru is a powerful and influential person but why are you upset about seeing him here?"

Koga growled his response back, "Don't you know who he is? He is the Lord of the Lands. Sesshoumaru is the ruling lord for all Youkai and we all bow down to him. We treat him with respect and honor. It's because of him that we still exist today. The ningens could not defeat him and his wrath is something we all try to avoid."

Miroku was shocked to hear this as he said, "If that's true then why didn't you pay him respect when you met him this morning? Is that not a direct insult to him?"

"No, before we got close to him and Kagome he told me and Ayame not to bow to him. He has not told Kagome who he is yet and he wanted to keep it that way. Why, he hasn't told her yet is not my business but I honored his request." Koga stated as he looked around the area. There was something not right and the hair on the back of his neck was standing up, a clear indication that something was going to happen.

At that moment both of them felt a powerful aura come into the area as they turned toward the person who just arrived. Their eyes opened wide when they saw that it was Sesshoumaru and he was elegantly dress in his ceremonial robes. Miroku had no more doubt on who he was now.

They both bowed deeply when Sesshoumaru finally reached the area they were standing in as they heard him ask, "Is everything ready for the ceremony?"

They both stood as Koga answered, "Yes milord, everything has been prepared and we are waiting on the females to finish with Kagome. Once they are done the ceremony will begin."

Sesshoumaru was happy with what he was told as he turned to the wolf and asked, "Wolf how is it that you know my mate?"

"My clan owes Kagome's family a life debt. Centuries ago they helped my clan when we were all dying from a disease that no healer could cure. The elders of my clan pledge from that day forward that we will protect her family." Koga replied.

Sesshoumaru was surprised. He had heard of the disease that was spreading around to all the Youkai but he did not know who had helped his people. He turned his attention back to the wolf, "So why is it that the elders of your clan send you, prince of the wolves, to protect her? Surely there are others in your clan that are better suited to be guards."

Koga felt irritated at being degraded but he shook it off, "Our elders sent me and my mate because we were better suited to keep the female safe. We have skills that keep us close to her, my mate has taken a liking to Kagome, and they became fast friends. We help her with her marketing campaigns, making her ideas come to life."

But then Koga sensed something in the near distance as he growled, "Miroku!"

Miroku did not need to be told twice when he felt the hordes of demons coming their way. He reached into his robes and pulled out several ofuda's and started his chant, when he was done he threw them in the air as they went to different parts around the shrine. The ofuda's formed a powerful barrier around the area as it kept the shrine safe.

Sesshoumaru also sensed the Youkai approaching the area as he took off to see why they were here. He found the main group as he stood inside the barrier and faced off with them. "What is the meaning of this? Explain to this Sesshoumaru why you are all here at this shrine?"

The Youkai saw as Sesshoumaru stepped in front of them. They were not about to back down. "There is something in this shrine that we want. We will not rest until we have the jewel in our possession. We will finally have enough power to get rid of these ningens and live the way we used to live before you struck a deal with these fools."

Sesshoumaru growled as he let his whip fly. He killed about 10 Youkai as the rest backed away from the enraged Daiyoukai. "No one is to enter this shrine. This shrine is under my protection and the first one to lay siege will have to answer to me. Now LEAVE!"

The Youkai that were there all turned and left the area. They will not anger the Daiyoukai any more today, they will wait, they have waited all these centuries for the jewel, so they can wait a little longer for it. He will not be around all the time and when he is gone from here they will find the jewel and then they will have their hearts desires.

Sesshoumaru watched the Youkai leave the area. He was not convinced that they will stay away from the shrine. He knew what they wanted, he felt it when he came back. He has only felt this power once before and then it vanished off the face of the earth, a power so great that it rivaled even his, and his mate had it with her.

He had no idea what she had but he was going to find out as he returned to the Goshinboku.

Koga and Miroku were looking around the area, they were trying to find Inuyasha, who was in the area. His aura has grown stronger since the last time they have seen him. He was not taking Kagome's mating to his brother very well.

Koga could sense that Inuyasha was hiding in the small forest that surrounded the shrine. The barrier that Miroku set up was enough, for right now. It will keep Inuyasha away from this area but they didn't know if it will hold once the ceremony got started.

They noticed when Sesshoumaru came back to the area as they were lighting the lamps that were hanging on the trees. Once it got darker the full moon would be clearly seen this night.

They all turned their attention back towards the house when they noticed that Kagome's grandfather was making his way to the tree. The ceremony was about to start as he was dressed in his ceremonial robes and looked very much like the shrine priest that he was. When he got to the tree he got up on the platform and bowed deeply to Sesshoumaru in greeting.

Sesshoumaru bowed back to Kagome's grandfather as he moved to his designated spot and everyone lined up behind him. They turned their attention toward the house as they saw Sango and Ayame walking out of the house and towards the tree. Asumi was the next one to exit her home as she went to join the other females in the area.

The only one left was Kagome as they all waited for her to come out of the house.

Sesshoumaru's nose twitched when he caught a familiar scent. He looked up as he saw his mate exit her home. His eyes opened wide, his breath hitched, when he finally got to see her. It was worth the time separated from her. She was breath taking as he saw her slowly walking towards him. She looked like an angel and her aura was very powerful.

-oOo-

Asumi stood back and looked at her daughter. A tear came to her eyes as she saw her little girl, not so little anymore, about to be married. She looked beautiful and she was very proud that she has raised such a powerful, wonderful daughter. In less than a half an hour she will be mated to the Youkai Lord of the Lands and their master plan will be in place. They will be able to keep track of him with no problem.

With everything that has happened over the last month she did not think that this day was ever going to come. First she was to mate Inuyasha, but he only wanted one thing from her daughter and she was not about to give him anything, until they were married.

She was happy that Inuyasha cheated on her daughter, this way she could find a more suitable male for her. But when Kagome started to show interest in Sesshoumaru she couldn't have been happier. This choice will fit into her plans.

Kagome turned to her mother as she said, "Sesshoumaru is here, we should go it's almost time for the ceremony, and I don't want to keep him waiting."

Everyone agreed as they left Kagome's room and headed toward the door. The first to walk out of the house were Sango and Ayame as Kagome hugged each of them in thanks for helping her on her special day.

When they were gone Asumi turned to her daughter and said, "You look beautiful Kagome, now it's time that the man you are about to marry see his bride. Remember this Kagome, love and honor your mate and you will be happy in your married life with him."

Tears formed in Kagome's eyes as she hugged her mother and whispered, "Thank you mama." Asumi then released her daughter and went outside with the others.

Kagome waited for a few minutes to gather herself before she walked out of the house. This was the day she has been waiting for all her life. She felt that there were a lot of Youkai in the area and she did not know why there were here. Then she remembered Sesshoumaru's wedding ring as she pulled it out of her obi and looked at it.

The ring was glowing brightly as she held it in her hands, then she slipped it on her index finger. This way she would not lose it and knew exactly where it was. She felt her powers grow the moment she put the ring on. She took a deep breath as she calmed and then walked outside.

The first person that caught her attention was Sesshoumaru as he was elegantly dressed in white ceremonial robes. He had a special glow around his body as the light of the full moon shined on him.

Kagome stood tall as she walked toward her mate. It was just as she dreamed it would be, the shrine grounds looked beautiful with the snow covering the trees. The weight of the snow was bending the branches as they looked like they were bowing down to her. 

The area around the Goshinboku looked beautiful as it was softly lit with lanterns. She finally reached her mate as she looked up into his eyes.

Sesshoumaru could not believe how beautiful his mate looked. She was beautifully dressed in white as her blue/black hair shined brightly by the light of the full moon. He noticed that her powers have grown tremendously and that the power he had felt in the shrine belonged to his mate. She was the one that was giving off that power as she finally reached his side.

He held out his hand towards her as he helped her up to the platform, while her grandfather started the ceremony.

-oOo-

Koga and Miroku were keeping an eye on the ceremony but at the same time they were scanning the area. They felt a lot of Youkai approaching the shrine, even with the barrier they have set up, this many Youkai attacking all at once will bring it down.

They were half way through the ceremony when Koga elbowed Miroku in the ribs and pointed with his head in the direction that he wanted to go in. Miroku understood as they slowly backed away from the area, when they were far enough away they turned and left the area in a hurry.

Koga ran ahead of Miroku as he came to a quick stop before he left the barrier. He picked his nose up as he sniffed the area. He could tell that Inuyasha was in the area and he was close. He heard his growls of anger through the forest as he was pacing.

Miroku came to a stop next to Koga as he asked, "Have you seen him yet?"

Koga knew who he was talking about and responded, "No, he is in a feral state now and he's pacing the area. The Youkai that were approaching stopped before getting to this location. They are scared of his beast and they are taking no chances."

Then they both turned as they felt Inuyasha rushing towards them, they braced themselves for the fight of their lives as Miroku tried to reinforce his barrier.

-oOo-

Inuyasha has been in the forest all day. He was prevented from going into the shrine by a barrier that his brother placed around the area when he left. He was beyond angry as he saw his female getting ready to marry someone else.

He has been attacking the barrier at different times during the day. He was pissed when his former friends put a barrier around the area when they felt the other Youkai approaching.

He was watching from the trees, looking for his mate, when he saw her come out of her home, his eyes opened wide. She was beautiful and her powers were great. He saw her walk up to his brother as he let a vicious growl escape his lips. That could have been him down there getting married to her if he waited until tonight. But here he was sitting in a tree watching his female getting married to someone else.

Inuyasha continued to watch until he couldn't handle it anymore. He jumped from the tree he was in as he raced to the Goshinboku. No one was going to take her away from him. He flexed his claws as he ran. He came upon the barrier as he took his claws and slash, yelling, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" It only took one attack to bring the barrier down as he continued on his way.

Miroku and Koga where waiting when they saw Inuyasha reach the area they were in. Koga was the first to attack as he went Inuyasha with his claws elongated, and slashed. He missed, but he could not say that Inuyasha missed him. He felt his fist hit his chest, sending him flying across the area, as he hit a tree. He slid down the trees trunk as the breath was knocked out of him.

Miroku seeing that Koga was down took some ofuda's out of his robes and threw them at Inuyasha. They hit their mark but it was proving to be difficult to subdue the hanyou. Inuyasha broke free of his spells, as he leaped and continued on his way.

Miroku was about to follow when the Youkai that have been waiting around the area came rushing in, after Inuyasha brought the barrier down. He turned, attacking the Youkai as Koga came back into the fight to help him.

Inuyasha made it past this former friends, he was finally free to go after his female. He stopped when he approached the Goshinboku as he heard Kagome's words. If she placed that ring on Sesshoumaru's finger he will lose her to his brother. Not being able to bear the thought of losing his female he attacked, his claws grew longer as he flexed them. If he could not have her then no one will.

-oOo-

The ceremony was everything Kagome thought it would be. The light of the full moon shone brightly down upon them as they took their vows under its rays. Her Jii-san performed a traditional ceremony for her as they finally got to the end.

Then she heard him say, "Now for the last part of the ceremony, the exchange of wedding rings and vows. These rings will signify that you are a married pair to the world. Now, Sesshoumaru you may present your ring to your new bride."

Sesshoumaru reached into his sash and pulled out Kagome's ring. Her mother got her engagement ring from her and he put both pieces together to form one ring. He looked into Kagome's eyes as he said, "Kagome, I have spent most of my life looking for the right female. I thought that I will never find her until I found you. You have taken away the loneness in my heart and soul. I find that you make me complete and I couldn't imagine my life without you. I give you this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity to you."

He then took Kagome's hand as he place the ring on her finger. It looked beautiful as a small smile came upon his lips while he looked at his mate.

Kagome's eyes grew wide when she saw the wedding ring. It was beautiful and it fit her finger perfectly. Her eyes grew misty as she looked at Sesshoumaru. It was now her turn to give him the jewel.

Kagome raised her right hand as she pulled off the ring she placed there for safe keeping. She held it in her hands as she started her spell. Her body was engulfed in a powerful light as she said, "Sesshoumaru there is something that I must tell you before you accept this ring to be my mate, and you must make a vow to me.

"I am the Shikon No Tama, High Priestess of the Lands, 500 years ago we were to meet and I was to become your mate. Your father agreed to our union and then the date was set for me to travel to the west. I was traveling to the west for the mating when I was attacked. Youkai for miles around want the little jewel that I hold in my hands. This jewel represents a piece of my soul, and if this was ever taken from me, it will become tainted. It will tilt the balance of power destroying the lands and its people.

"My guards tried to protect me but there were just too many Youkai for them to defeat. They fell that day and I was left to deal with them alone. I was severely injured but I did manage to purify the Youkai that were attacking to prevent them from taking over the lands. This jewel was then taken by Midoriko for safe keeping until I returned to claim it.

"I have returned to fulfill my destiny and become your mate, Sesshoumaru. But for me to become your mate, you must vow to protect the jewel with your life. If it falls into the wrong hands I will lose my life and the world as we know it will seize to exist." Kagome looked at her mate as she observed what he was going to do and continued. "Do you, Sesshoumaru, Daiyoukai and Lord of the lands, vow to protect the jewel with your life?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes opened wide as he asked, "You know that I'm Lord of the Lands?"

Kagome smiled as she said, "Yes, I know who you are. I knew the minute I was drawn to this ring. It revealed everything to me when I held it in my hands." Kagome then lowered her eyes and looked away, while she waited for him to answer her question.

Sesshoumaru stood tall as he said in a regal voice, "You have my vow of honor that I will protect the Shikon No Tama with my life. I vow to protect and love the person who gives it to me. I will accept the jewel and take my place by your side."

Kagome was happy as she hurried to finish her spell. All she needed to do was place the ring on his finger to release the rest of her soul. She was about to put the ring on when Sesshoumaru quickly pulled away from her. She felt strong arms go around her waist as she was lifted off the ground.

Before Kagome could register what was happening a loud explosion was heard in the area. She looked up to see that Sesshoumaru was protecting not only her but her family as well. There was a barrier around them as he jumped with her Jii-san, wrapped in his tail, and landed next to her mother and brother.

Sesshoumaru stood straight up and he was pissed. He was so close to finally marrying Kagome, all he needed was to have the ring placed on his finger for the ritual to be finally completed. He looked in the direction where they were all standing before they were attacked as the smoke started to clear from the area.

A vicious growl left his lips when he saw his brother standing on the destroyed platform. He was dirty. His once clean locks were in disarray, mud covered a good portion of his body, and there was a stench so great that Sesshoumaru had to shake his head in order not to pass out. "What is the meaning of this? Why have you interrupted the ceremony?"

Inuyasha missed his target. If he landed a hit he knew he would have killed his brother as he stood straight up and looked for his female. He saw her in his brother's arms as he growled. It was time he got his bitch back. "Sesshoumaru, the female belongs to me and I challenge you for the right to mate."

Sesshoumaru heard his brothers challenge as he turned to Kagome and said, "Kagome take your family to the house, there they will be safe, I will take care of Inuyasha."

Kagome heard what Sesshoumaru wanted her to do and hurried to comply. She moved her family away from the danger as she pushed them all back to the house.

Sesshoumaru stood in front protecting Kagome's retreat, flexing his claws. It was about time that he teach his brother a lesson or two. He leaped as he went after Inuyasha.

Inuyasha was ready as he jumped to meet Sesshoumaru half way in the air. They meet as their powers fought against each other and then jumped apart.

Sesshoumaru was surprised that his brother was this strong, as he took his fingers, formed his whip, and lashed out. He connected several times before his brother rushed in with claws drawn.

Sesshoumaru jump out of the way in time to avoid the hit as he sensed other Youkai coming into the battle. He noticed that he was not alone in this fight, Kagome's female friends were attacking the Youkai that came into the area.

-oOo-

Merry Christmas everyone!

And this is the end to another chapter. Sorry to leave you hanging but there is more to come before the marriage is finished and the mating begins.

First I must address a concern. For the one that wrote and said for me to complete this story, don't worry this story is finished. I never post a story that I'm still writing because I run into problems completing them. So when I complete a story that's when I post them. I will never leave any reader hanging waiting for the finished product.

Second yes Inuyasha is being a pain right now but there is more than meets the eye with him. Keep reading and you will know what I'm talking about. Miyako will make her debut again here shortly, and yes some of you are correct about her.

Until the next time!

Jani


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sango and Ayame noticed when Miroku and Koga left the area. It meant trouble as they became alert to anything coming towards them. Inuyasha came in so fast that it caught everyone by surprise as they all jumped away from the area.

Sango drew her knives as Ayame extended her claws. They heard the challenge issued and then felt the hordes of Youkai coming into the area. They turned as they got ready to fight and met the intruders head on.

They were doing a good job keeping the Youkai back from the fight at the Goshinboku but there were more coming. Several of the Youkai got past them as they went after Kagome.

Kagome sensed that they were being followed as she stopped and faced her opponents. They were after the jewel and she was not about to give it up. Her powers grew as she was protecting her family, until they made it to the safety of their home. She raised her hand up and let go of a blast of her Reiryoku, killing the Youkai that were attacking her.

Kagome then turned and ran to Goshinboku. She needed something that the tree was keeping safe for her as she finally made it to the tree. She found the knot as she placed her hand on it and chanted her spell. The barrier that was there fell as Kagome stuck her hand into the hole of the tree and wrapped her hand around the object of her desire.

Kagome pulled an elegant sword from the tree as she quickly turned and killed the Youkai that was about to attack her. The sword glowed with power, becoming one with the sword she continued to battle the Youkai that were after her.

Asumi finally got her son and Jii-san back to the house. She hurried them inside as she put a seal on the door to prevent them from coming back out into the shrine. She then turned and ran back after her daughter. She was not about to let anyone ruin her plans or hurt her daughter.

Asumi was a powerful miko as well, she never had the opportunity to use her powers but that did not mean that she could not. She killed several Youkai that got in her way as she went to the middle of the shrine. She was looking for the stone that was located in the center when she finally found it.

Centuries ago her ancestors made sure that the shrine will always be protected. A lone miko could protect the shrine if she invoked the power of the shrine that laid dormant. She quickly put her hand on the stone as she started her spell. The shrine started to glow as a powerful barrier was erected around the area. It prevented the ones attacking the shrine from leaving and anyone else from entering.

When the power of the shrine was invoked many of the priest and priestess around the city will feel it and will be there to help. She did not want them to get hurt so she brought forth its barriers. There were several stone pillars around the shrine that started to glow with power as the power of the miko's and priests of old was brought forth to protect the shrine.

Powerful beams of light started to come out of the pillars as they went after the Youkai that were attacking the shrine. Asumi controlled the power to make sure that they never hit Sesshoumaru or Kagome's friends. She couldn't risk her daughter's wrath if she killed all of the Youkai. She couldn't kill Sesshoumaru with the power of the shrine since they have tried that centuries ago and it didn't work.

Within minutes the Youkai that were attacking the shrine were killed as Asumi looked up from the ground. She was frantically looking around the shrine for her daughter as she spotted her near the Goshinboku. Her friends were with her as she was on her knees breathing hard.

She was glad that she was safe but then her heart raced with fear as she saw Inuyasha go after her daughter. She raced to her side as she yelled, "KAGOME!"

-oOo-

Koga and Miroku raced back to the main area of the shrine when they killed their last opponent. There were more Youkai there as they battled their way towards Kagome. They saw that Sesshoumaru was involved with Inuyasha and decided to let the Youkai lord handle him.

They noticed that Ayame and Sango were battling fiercely trying to protect Kagome but there were just too many of them. Miroku came in as he threw his ofuda's at the Youkai and they hit their mark. It paralyzed the Youkai as he hit them with his staff, purifying them.

Then they all noticed the power around the shrine starting to grow as beams of purifying power was sent around the area killing the attacking Youkai. They finally made it to Kagome side as they formed a circle around her form to protect her. She collapsed from all the fighting and was trying to get her breathing back to normal. They never saw the attack coming as a red streak shot past them, pushing them all to the ground, while he grabbed Kagome from behind.

They all looked up from the ground as they saw that Inuyasha had Kagome by the neck. His claw was cutting into her skin causing her to bleed, as she screamed in pain.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was still fighting with his brother. It was the most intense battle he has ever fought in his life. He detected a rise in power around him when he noticed that Kagome came into the fight and she had a sword in her hand. She was a deadly opponent as she killed the Youkai that were after her.

Sesshoumaru had only minor cuts on his person as his brother sported the majority of his wrath. He did not want to destroy the shrine so he did not use his most powerful attacks. Inuyasha on the other hand had no inhibitions about destroying anything that got in his way of getting to what he desired.

Inuyasha used his blades of blood as Sesshoumaru jumped out of the way, turned and sent his whip toward his brother. He wrapped his whip around Inuyasha's body, throwing him clear across the shrine, away from his mate. He killed some minor Youkai that got in his way as he saw the magic that was the Higurashi shrine come to life.

But what surprised him was that it was not Kagome who was the source of the power but her mother. He never detected any spiritual powers coming from Asumi before, but it was clear that Asumi was a powerful priestess. She controlled where the purifying beams went as they killed the Youkai in the surrounding area.

His thoughts were snapped back to reality when he saw Inuyasha rushing pass him, going towards Kagome. He raced after him but he was too late. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome from behind as he held her in his arms with his claws digging into her neck. Her cries of pain was making him lose control of his inner Inu as he came forth to protect his mate.

Sesshoumaru's power grew tenfold as his eyes turned a pure white, his body grew slightly as his claws got even longer. He stopped short of where his brother was standing holding his mate.

-oOo-

Inuyasha was getting off the ground as he wiped the blood away from his mouth. His brother was proving difficult to kill and looked around the area. He saw the power of the shrine come to life as he avoided the purifying beams aimed at him. He snarled and looked for his female. He noticed when she went down and saw his chance. He raced forward as he knocked her companions away from Kagome and grabbed her.

He finally won the battle as he held Kagome form against his chest. She was going to be his and his brother was going to witness when he took her as his mate.

Inuyasha growled as he said, "Sesshoumaru! Kagome is my mate and I will show you who is the most powerful. She was never meant to be your mate, I claimed her first and she will be mine."

"Release her Inuyasha! She is not yours to protect! She rejected you as her mate and she has clearly chosen me as her protector." Sesshoumaru yelled as he tried to get closer to Inuyasha. But when he took a step forward, Inuyasha dug his claws deeper into Kagome's neck as she screamed in pain.

Sesshoumaru's beast whined trying to find out if his mate was all right, when she tried to answer back Inuyasha pierced the side of her body with his claws.

Kagome didn't know what was going on. One minute she was on the ground, the next minute she was being held tightly in Inuyasha's arms. She tried to fight her way out of Inuyasha's hold but he kept digging his claws into her body causing her to scream in agony.

Tears were coming from her eyes as she looked at Sesshoumaru. He was worried about her as she whined and growled at her mate. She felt herself being shaken as she heard Inuyasha say, "Bitch! I'm your mate. He has lost this fight and you will become my mate this night. He will witness our mating here in front of everyone."

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she heard what he was saying. There was no way that she was mating with him. She started to fight even more as Inuyasha tightened his hold on her. He dug his claws into her side causing her to scream.

She stopped struggling as she looked at Sesshoumaru. There was nothing else she could do. She was not about to let Inuyasha mate her in front of her friends and family. She knew that this move will kill her, just like it did the last time, but she did not have a choice.

Kagome looked into Sesshoumaru's eyes as she mouthed, "I'm sorry." She closed her eyes as she started to concentrate on her powers. She needed a lot of power to get free from Inuyasha. But before Kagome could gather her powers she was ripped away from Inuyasha's hold. She felt tremendous pain on her neck as she passed out.

Sesshoumaru seeing that his mate was out of Inuyasha's arms jumped as he caught her and gently landed on the ground.

-oOo-

Asumi finally reached the area where Inuyasha was located with her daughter. She heard Inuyasha's words and her anger grew. There was no way she was going to let him defile her daughter in front of her.

Asumi closed her eyes as she started to concentrate on her powers. She was drawing power from the shrine as she cast her spell. She formed a barrier around her daughter and pulled her out of Inuyasha's arms, throwing her into the air. She knew that Sesshoumaru would go after her so she was safe.

She then turned her heated eyes towards the hanyou and she captured him in a barrier. Try as he might he was not able to break free. She had the perfect punishment for Inuyasha as she started to purify his Youkai. He was the one that was out of control and wanted her daughter no matter what. He will pay for hurting her as she continued to channel her powers and slowly started to purify him.

Inuyasha had no idea what was going on. One minute he had his bitch in his arms as he was facing off with his brother and the next he was in a barrier that he could not break out of. He felt the sting of the purifying power around him as he screamed in pain. His Youkai was being purified as he tried to get free.

He looked up with his blood red eyes as his saw his female. She was in his brothers arms but there was something wrong. She was bleeding heavily and his brother was doing everything in his power to stop it. He had no idea how she got hurt until he caught the scent of her blood on his claws.

His eyes opened wide when he realized that he hurt his female when she left his arms. He never wanted to hurt her in any way but he did not want his brother to have her if he could not claim her as his mate. The pain grew to be too much for him as he passed out on the ground. His Youkai was finally purified as the barrier that was placed around his body was lowered.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru landed gently on the ground as he held Kagome close to his chest. She was not moving and this worried him, sitting down on the ground he placed her in his lap. The scent of her blood was overwhelming as he pulled her away from his chest to look for her wounds.

His eyes opened wide when he saw where she was injured. Inuyasha cut her jugular vein and she was effectively bleeding to death. He needed to stop the bleeding, he applied pressure to the area to slow the blood, but it was not enough. He then flared his youki in an attempt to heal her wound but it did not close.

Sesshoumaru watched helplessly as his mate was weakening in his arms and there was nothing that he could do to save her.

Once Asumi was done with the former hanyou she turned her attention to her daughter. The blood she saw on the ground alarmed her as she rushed to Sesshoumaru's side. She ignored his growls of protest as she put her hand on Kagome's injury and pressed firmly to control the bleeding.

She was able to stem the flow of blood as she looked up and said, "Sesshoumaru, Kagome must finish the ritual. She must give you the ring and finish the spell she started. The spell is taking her energy and she needs it to heal this wound. If she doesn't we will lose her."

Sesshoumaru understood what Asumi was saying as he turned his attention to his mate. He nipped her ear as he tried to wake her.

Asumi noticed that what Sesshoumaru was doing was not waking her daughter. She was growing weaker by the minute as she took matters into her own hands. She reached up and gently slapped Kagome on her cheek, as she said, "Kagome, you have to wake up. You have to complete what you started so you can heal your body."

Kagome did not move as Asumi tried again and then saw her daughter opening her eyes.

Kagome was very tired. She wanted nothing more than to sleep as she heard her mother calling to her. She opened her eyes as they slowly came into focus. Her neck hurt as she heard what her mother was telling her. She needed to give Sesshoumaru the jewel she created for him.

Slowly Kagome moved her right hand up as she removed the ring from her forefinger. She looked down as she saw Sesshoumaru's hand right next to hers. With shaking hands she finally placed the ring on his finger as she finished her incantations.

Kagome smiled weakly as she softly said, "My mate." Slowly her eyes closed as her hand fell limply by her side. She was having a hard time breathing, as she was struggling to catch her breath. She was wheezing, each intake of air was difficult for her. Her breathing slowed even more as she was still struggling to catch her breath. She finally stopped breathing and her heart finally gave out.

Sesshoumaru could not believe what was happening. His mate, his lovely and beautiful mate, who he has searched centuries for, died in his arms. He felt something deep within his chest as a pain so great took over his being. His breathing became labored, grasping for air, he did the only thing that he could, he howled a mournful howl into the cold night sky as his cry was heard for miles around.

Answering howls were given around the city as other Inu Youkai responded back to his cry of anguish, while they offered the pained male their strength in his time of need.

Sesshoumaru cradled Kagome's body closer to his chest. He never wanted to let go and if they were fully mated he would be with her right now. He promised to protect her but he failed miserably in that duty.

Then Sesshoumaru did something he has never done in his life. His emotions were starting to well up in his chest, a tightening occurred as a single tear came out each of his eyes. Slowly the tears went down his cheeks as it made its way to his chin. There was power in those tears as they fell and hit Kagome on her forehead and started to glow.

Asumi and the others were standing around as they cried. They lost Kagome, they could not protect her from the Youkai that attacked her. Koga and Ayame felt like failures for not protecting their charge. Miroku and Sango were not fairing much better as they all mourned the passing of their best friend.

Then they all looked up as they saw Kagome and Sesshoumaru starting to glow. They took a step back as they watched a barrier form around them.

Sesshoumaru was still sitting on the ground, oblivious to what was happening around him, with Kagome still cradled in his arms. He was gently rocking her back and forth as they all heard his whimpers of sadness.

-oOo-

Kagome was slowly opening her eyes. She found herself floating in a white abyss. She was frantically looking around for her mate as she yelled, "Sesshoumaru!" But no one answered her call.

'_This can't be happening, please Kami don't tell me that I died again. I don't want to leave Sesshoumaru.'_ Kagome thought as she was looking around the area. She had to find a way back to Sesshoumaru. She didn't want to leave him now that she found her true love. She couldn't bear the thought of him being alone again.

She turned as she saw a lone figure approaching her. Kagome's eyes opened wide when she saw that it was Midoriko. "Why have I been brought back here? I want to go back and be with my mate."

Midoriko stopped in front of her younger sister. She hated being the bearer of bad news. "I'm sorry Kagome but you must return to the afterlife. The Kami's determined that the world is not ready to be saved just yet and you are being called back."

Kagome was not happy with what she heard. "NO! I will not return. I want to go back to Sesshoumaru. I have waited a long time to be his mate, it's not fair for us to finally find each other only to be separated again."

"Kagome, please calm yourself. Sesshoumaru will be alright. He will survive this ordeal and live on. Perhaps in another few hundred years the Kami's will let you go back to him and things will be better." Midoriko said as she watched to see what the young miko was going to do.

Kagome was not buying it. She wanted to go back to Sesshoumaru. She was happy with him and she will return to him one way or another. "I would rather walk a lonely existence on the earth than return. I love Sesshoumaru and I want to be with him. I want to go back to him now!"

Tears were coming from Kagome's eyes as she cried for the one she loved. The pain was so great that she screamed, "Sesshoumaru! Please help me!"

The area they were standing in changed as a powerful force came to Kagome's aid. It was so powerful that Midoriko had to take a step back from the girl.

-oOo-

The ring on Sesshoumaru's finger came to life. It provided him with a link to his mate. Her soul was still in the jewel even though she finished her spell. She did not want to leave him and he could feel her presence in the jewel.

Then Sesshoumaru heard his mates cry for help as he concentrated on his being. His power grew as he went after her. He was not about to let her go. Part of his soul detached from his body as the sword on his side was glowing with power. The sword, a gift from his father, let him go to the netherworld to locate his mate. He never had use for such a sword before but now he was grateful that he had it.

Sesshoumaru felt as part of his soul left his body while he was transported to the netherworld. His father's sword was protecting him as he traveled. It was a wide and open space. It was white with no visible land that you could see.

The ring on Sesshoumaru's finger was serving as a homing beacon, it was getting brighter the closer he got to his mate. He had a sense of urgency that he needed to find her and fast.

He found her with another miko as he saw that she was crying. He came in fast as he scooped her up in his arms and held her crying form. His gentle growls soothed Kagome as she wrapped her arms around the one person that she wanted to be with.

Sesshoumaru nuzzled his mate, he was so happy to be reunited with her. He turned with Kagome in his arms as he was about to leave the area to return to the living world when he heard, "You cannot take Kagome from this place. The Kami's have decided that it's not her time to be reunited with you. You are not up to the task of guarding her, or none of this would have happened."

Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks as he growled and turned to face the miko that was with his mate. He barred his fangs, growling, "This Sesshoumaru is up to the task of protecting his mate. Once we are mated she will have my full protection. She got hurt because her mother interfered with what I was trying to do."

Midoriko was not about to back down, "She got involved because your brother was hurting her daughter. What mother wants to see their child get hurt by a male? She was protective of Kagome as a child and she is even more protective of her now. She was not happy with the way you were handling the situation."

Kagome heard enough as she turned in Sesshoumaru's arm and said in a deadly voice, "What did you want Sesshoumaru to do? Kill his only brother? His last living family member? Is that what you wanted? I can tell you that Sesshoumaru is better than that. Centuries ago he made a deal with the ningens to live in peace with them instead of destroying them. He could have gotten rid of all of us, but he chose to coexist with us and has been a wonderful ruler."

Kagome was breathing hard but she was not done yet, "But tell me Midoriko, if you were alive back then would you have purified him? Would you destroy an entire race because they were different?"

Midoriko looked away, she could not answer her younger sister. She knew what the answer would be. She had done it in the past and felt no remorse for her actions.

Kagome huffed as she said, "Just as I thought, you would have killed them where they stood. How can you call yourself a miko and protector of all on the lands if you pick and choose who you protect? Everyone deserves a chance at life and you have no right to make that decision. Now, I'm going home. I'm going to where I belong."

Midoriko turned back to Kagome, "No, you are coming with me, I was sent to escort you back."

"No, I'm going home and no one is going to stop me!" Kagome yelled from Sesshoumaru's arms. She was snuggling into his arms as she felt her mate tightening his grip on her.

Sesshoumaru moved with speed as Midoriko attacked. He pulled his sword from its sheath and prepared to fight. His tail came up and wrapped itself around Kagome to keep her safe and to keep her close to him. He was not about to let go of her once he found her.

Sesshoumaru moved in to attack as he swung his sword across his body and released a blast of pure energy from his sword.

Midoriko eyes opened wide when she saw the attack coming her way. She barely had enough time to get out of the way but she still felt the bite of the swords attack. This surprised her since she was dead, she had no idea what kind of sword Sesshoumaru possessed but she will have to be careful around it.

She rounded on Sesshoumaru as she set herself up for another attack. She aimed for his tail that was wrapped around Kagome. She managed hit him as he went down.

Sesshoumaru did not have enough time to move away from the coming attack. He flared his youki around his body to protect himself plus his mate. The attack hit as he was sent down to what appeared to be the ground, it was hard to tell with all the clouds. At the last minute Sesshoumaru moved Kagome into his arms to protect her from the impact.

Kagome groaned, as she opened her eyes to see Sesshoumaru on top of her. He was protecting her from Midoriko's assault but he was getting hurt in the process. She needed to do something or Midoriko will kill Sesshoumaru.

Kagome knew that she had to send her mate back in order for him to survive even if it meant that she will lose him again. They were hit again and Kagome had enough. She managed to get out of Sesshoumaru's arms as she stood in front of him. She was going to protect him no matter what.

Midoriko saw as Kagome moved out of the Youkai arms. It was her opportunity to take Kagome and leave. She rushed in as she attempted to grab Kagome, but when she was close to her, she was thrown back from the younger miko.

Midoriko looked up from the ground as she looked at Kagome. She was glowing as her powers came forth. It was a golden color as she faced off with her younger sister.

Kagome had enough as she called forth her powers. She was not about to let anyone hurt Sesshoumaru. She formed a barrier around them as she blocked Midoriko's attack. She stood tall, and proud, "You will not hurt him. He has done nothing to warrant this treatment and I will protect him."

Midoriko stood as she said, "I will not hurt him if you come with me."

Kagome shook her head, "No, I want to return with him and if I can't do it in my normal form then I will seal my soul in the ring he wears."

Midoriko's eyes opened wide when she heard what Kagome said. She could not let her do that but when she was about to attack again she notice the red thread that was going from Kagome to the Youkai. Full understanding came to her mind as she said, "Your soul is attached to his. If I take you I will have to take the both of you to the next world. How did you attach your soul to his?"

Midoriko thought about her own question as she realized what happened, "Oh Kami! You didn't do it. He has done something that no Youkai ever does, he shed tears for you. His tears touched your soul and he bonded your soul to his. A Youkai tears is the most powerful magic known to be in existence. A Youkai never cries unless he truly loves the person he is with and wishes to become one with that person."

Kagome was very touched by what Midoriko said. _'Sesshoumaru loves me so much that he was willing to shed tears in order for me not to leave him?'_ Kagome looked up as she said, "That is why I want to go back. I will never find anyone that will give me the love and devotion that I'm looking for. Can't you see that what you are doing is wrong? The Kami's can't control fate and the fates have brought us together. We have much to do and we need to do these things. Please, let me go back with him."

Midoriko didn't know what to do. Kagome was right the Kami's could not control what the fates do, so this was meant to happen. She looked up in time to see the Youkai grab his mate and pull her into his chest. He was ready to fight again as she made her decision.

"Lord Sesshoumaru you have proven yourself to be a great protector for the Shikon No Tama. I will leave her in your care for now. But the next time you fail to protect her there will be no stopping me from taking her from you, even if it means your own death." Midoriko stated as she looked at the Youkai in front of her.

Sesshoumaru was happy, he has won the fight for his mate's soul as he held on to her a little tighter and said, "This Sesshoumaru will not fail in his duty to protect his mate. She will be safe and happy under my care."

Midoriko nodded as she turned to leave but before she left she turned just slightly and said over her shoulder, "Kagome, you have picked a worthy mate. Make him proud that he has chosen one as well." With that Midoriko vanished from the area as she went back to the heavens.

Sesshoumaru picked up his mate as he nuzzled her and said, "Come, we must return. We have to finish what we started this night and I will be looking forward to it." He then reached down and licked her neck as Kagome shivered in his arms. She knew she was going to enjoy this night.

-oOo-

Asumi and the others were still standing around Sesshoumaru's form. His body was slumped over her daughters and you could barely see her body. He was currently surrounded by a barrier that would not let anyone through.

Tears were still coming from all of their eyes as they watched and waited, then after 30 agonizing minutes of waiting Sesshoumaru started to move.

They all looked at Kagome and noticed that the blood she had on her clothes was all gone as they saw her start to move.

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes as he straightened up. He could barely hear Kagome's heartbeat as it was slowly getting stronger. He leaned down and said in her ear, "Kagome, my lovely mate, please wakeup."

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru calling for her as she started to move. She slowly opened her eyes to see the golden ones of her mate. She smiled a sweet smile as he leaned down and kissed her beautiful lips. When they parted they were panting hard. Sesshoumaru could smell Kagome's arousal as he gave a low but deep growl of approval.

Sesshoumaru lowered the barrier around them as he got up from the ground and placed Kagome back on her feet. As soon as he released her, he heard, "KAGOME!" He looked up in time to see Asumi running towards her daughter at a fast pace.

Kagome braced herself, she knew she must have given her mother a scare as they both hugged each other.

Asumi pulled away from her daughter as she looked for her injuries. There was nothing left of the wound on her neck as she said, "Kagome I thought that I lost you. What happened? How are you still alive?"

Kagome stepped away from her mother, "Mama, Sesshoumaru saved my life. He brought me back so I can be with him."

"But how did he save you? I saw you die." Asumi responded to her daughter.

Miroku was listening to the exchange between mother and daughter as it dawned on him what happened, he then turned and filled everyone in, "Asumi, the only way that Sesshoumaru could save Kagome was to tie her soul to his. He shed a tear and that tied Kagome to him. It is the ultimate act of love that a Youkai will do for his mate, to bind his soul to hers to make sure she is always with him."

Everyone looked at Sesshoumaru in awe. They never thought that he would go through such lengths as to tie his soul to Kagome, to make sure that she did not die without him.

Sesshoumaru's eyes were trained on his mate, it was now time that they leave this place and make her his. "Kagome we must leave. We must finish what was started this night."

Kagome understood as she said her goodbyes to her mother and friends. At that moment they heard a moan coming from not too far away as they all turned and noticed that Inuyasha was waking up. He was ningen this night as Sesshoumaru pulled Kagome to his side and held her close.

-oOo-

Inuyasha was slowly waking up from his forced slumber. His head was pounding and he couldn't figure out why he was hurting so bad, while he slowly opened his eyes. He was lying in a deep pile of snow as he struggled to get up. His mind was a foggy mess as bits and pieces of the days gone by slowly started to reveal itself to him.

Inuyasha's eyes slowly came back into focus and he saw black, fear was clearly seen in his eyes, when he realized that he was in his ningen form. This was impossible since his time of the month was on the night of the new moon, which was another three weeks away. But it was evident that he was in his ningen form when he noticed that his claws and fangs were gone.

He looked up as he saw Kagome standing a short distance away from him. Slowly he got his legs under him as he stood and started to make his way towards her. He grabbed his side as he felt pain coming from that area. He remembered everything that he did and he was ashamed.

Inuyasha stopped a short distance away from Kagome as he heard his brother's growls of warning. He felt that it was well deserved for what he did to her. He noticed that Sesshoumaru was wearing a ring on his finger and he now knew that he has finally lost her.

Inuyasha fell to his knees, saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry Kagome, I didn't mean to hurt you. I still love you and wanted you to marry me but I see now that you have chosen another. I really hope that you are happy with him."

Kagome's eyes soften as she heard Inuyasha's words. She still loved him but it was more of a brother's love than anything else. She tried to go to him but she was being restrained by Sesshoumaru, he did not want her getting close to his brother.

Kagome reached up with her hand as she gently caressed his arms and growled low in her throat to him. She felt when Sesshoumaru relaxed his hold on her as she walked away from him and went to Inuyasha.

She stopped in front of him as she looked down at Inuyasha's form. She saw that he was bleeding from his side and that his breathing was becoming labored. She concentrated her healing powers on him as she saw the poison running through his system.

Kagome realized that Inuyasha has some of Sesshoumaru's poison in his body and if he didn't get help soon he will die from it. In his hanyou form Sesshoumaru's poison will not hurt Inuyasha but in his ningen form it was a death sentence.

Kagome reached down as she touched the top of his head. She was glowing as she used her healing powers to heal his wounds and purge the poison from his body.

She heard as Inuyasha's breathing ease and gave a sigh of relief. When Kagome was done healing Inuyasha's body she pulled her hand away from him as she waited to see how he was feeling.

Inuyasha felt a warm power going over his body. It was healing all of his wounds and the pain that he was in was going away. He was able to breathe easier as he looked up at Kagome who was standing in front of him. He lowered his head and said, "Thank you Kagome. I don't deserve your kindness. I have one question for you though, will I…will I stay like this for the rest of my life?"

Kagome smiled, while she was healing Inuyasha she looked for that one part of him that he always had trouble controlling. She found his beast but he was very weak at the moment. She gently wrapped him in her aura as she gave him strength.

When she was positive that he will be all right she released him as he whimpered at her. She knew that it was going to take time for him to recover from this, "You will be staying like this for a little while Inuyasha. You will not return to normal until after the new moon."

Asumi was watching what her daughter was doing. She could not understand why Kagome was helping Inuyasha but she always knew that Kagome had a very soft side. When she heard that he will return to his normal form she said, "How can that be? I purified his Youkai."

Kagome turned and looked at her mother, "You are not powerful enough to purify his Youkai, mama. Inuyasha's blood is very powerful and it will take someone with more powerful than you to purify his Youkai. You weakened him yes, but I healed that side of him to allow him to come back."

Asumi became upset as she yelled, "How can you bring him back after what he did to you?"

Kagome turned against her mother as she said, "Mother, I was hurt because you interfered with what Sesshoumaru was trying to do. If you let Sesshoumaru handle his brother I wouldn't have died in the first place, plus I cannot let anything happen to Inuyasha. He is family now and we all must get along with each other."

Inuyasha was listening to what Kagome was saying. He was touched that she would stick up for him even after everything that he did to her. He turned his attention to his brother as he said in a low voice, "Sesshoumaru, please promise me that you will protect her. Don't let them hurt her or your pups the way they hurt me when I was living with you."

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was holding on to his mate. He was not about to let her get close to his brother. He tightened his grip when she pulled away from him and gave a low growl, warning her to stay by his side. He was surprised when she growled back at him saying, _'He's hurt.'_

He felt her hands on his arms as her powers flared. It calmed him as he let go of her so she could see to Inuyasha's injuries. He waited patiently for her to get done when he heard his brother's words. He had no idea what Inuyasha was talking about as he asked, "What do you mean by that Inuyasha? What happened when you were with me? Who hurt you?"

Sesshoumaru's anger was going through the roof, he had no knowledge that someone hurt his brother or he would have taken care of the problem. He looked at his brother with heated eyes, waiting for an answer.

Inuyasha lowered his eyes. It happened years ago and it did not matter anymore. "It doesn't matter what happened, just make sure you protect Kagome. I don't want her getting hurt, that's why I fought so hard against you."

Sesshoumaru growled and stated, "You will come to my home after the new moon and you will tell this Sesshoumaru the meaning behind your words. I want to know who hurt you and why you never told me."

Inuyasha nodded his agreement as he saw his brother move off to get his mate. He knew where he was going and he couldn't blame him. He would be anxious too.

Inuyasha decided to leave the area, he has already caused this family enough grief and he did not want to stick around and feel their wrath. He headed home, feeling the need to bathe and get some food. It was going to be a rough three weeks until his Youkai got strong enough to come back.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru moved to get his mate. It was time for them to leave as he approached. His mate was in a heated argument with her mother as he growled to get Kagome's attention.

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru's growls. She was having an argument with her mother and she was not about to let her win. When she felt the bite of his youki on her skin, she turned on him, and was about to lash out for interrupting her.

Sesshoumaru saw how angry his mate was as he barred his fangs and snarled. He was not about to let her have her way. They needed to leave so the mating could take place. He moved closer to Kagome as he towered over her small form, exerting his dominance over her.

Sesshoumaru moved forward as his body made contact with her and pushed her back. He put his arms out to the side to prevent her from moving away from him. He flared his youki around Kagome, he will make her submit to him as her dominant male. He reached out as he grabbed his mate and brought her even closer to his body. His eyes were blood red as he lowered his head and went after her neck.

Kagome eyes opened wide when she saw that Sesshoumaru's eyes were red. She had no idea what was going on as she tried to back away from him, when she was suddenly pulled into his body. His growls scared her as she went still in his arms.

Kagome started to pick up a wonderful scent as it went straight to her head. She became dizzy as she went weak in the knees. Sesshoumaru was now holding her up as he brought her closer to his chest.

Sesshoumaru released a special scent that only she could detect. The scent will make his mate submissive, because he was calling to her sexually. He was holding her body up now, smiling at his handy work.

Sesshoumaru saw his chance, forming his golden orb of light, he took off at a fast pace, leaving Kagome's family and friends behind. He had his female firmly secured in his embrace as he streaked across the sky heading for his father's home.

While Sesshoumaru was traveling he was teasing Kagome. He wanted her fully aroused before he got to the shiro. That way he will not have a hard time getting her to their room.

But when they started getting closer to his father's shiro, Sesshoumaru stopped secreting his scent. The shiro inhabitances were all outside waiting for him and his mate. He needed Kagome to have a clear head, even though she is the only one who could detect his scent, it was making her almost uncontrollable. His idea worked a little too well as she was trying to remove his clothing.

He leaned down, nipping Kagome's ear, saying, "Kagome, you must calm yourself we are arriving at our destination and once we get to our room I will let you have whatever you wish."

Kagome was sexually frustrated. She wanted Sesshoumaru but he would not let her take off his clothes. Then all too soon that intoxicating scent was gone as her head started to clear. She was leaning against Sesshoumaru's chest as she brought her breathing under control and tried to gather herself. She was going to make him pay for doing this to her.

Kagome anger was not gone yet. It was just redirected at the moment as she heard what Sesshoumaru just whispered into her ear. She was wondering where they were going as she started to calm down. All she knew was that they were moving incredibly fast and that they were going down.

-oOo-

The alarm was being given around the shiro. Kaito was sensing that their lord was approaching their location. His aura was so powerful that he knew they still had a few more minutes before he landed.

Kaito noticed that Sesshoumaru's aura was even more powerful than usual. He had no idea what could be causing his power to flare. He did not have time to dwell on it as he rushed everyone into place so they could greet their lord and his new lady.

The servants were all lined up outside as they looked into the sky to see if they could spot the Lord of the Lands. They were all curious about who he has chosen as a mate. They all knew that the Lord has been searching for a mate for a very long time and for him to announce that he has finally picked one was a joyous occasion.

The alarm was given as a spotter saw a bright orb coming their way. They all stood in the central courtyard as they waited for him to land. It only took a few minutes for the orb to reach their location as they all kneeled in Sesshoumaru's presence.

Once the orb landed it disappeared from site. Sesshoumaru stood in the middle of the courtyard with a small female leaning into his chest. No one could see what she looked like, since her face was hidden. They did not sense anything special about this female. To them it appeared that the female was a weak match for their lord.

They noticed when their lord nudged the female with his nose, enticing her to move away from his chest. They observed when the small female moved as she slowly turned around. The shock they all were in was noticeable to their lord as they saw a ningen onna standing next to him. It was completely unexpected. They always thought that Sesshoumaru would mate with another Youkai to keep his bloodline pure.

Kaito approached his lord as he bowed deeply and said, "Welcome Oh Lord of the Lands and Milady."

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru landed in the central courtyard in a rush of power as he let his golden orb disappear. Kagome was still in his arms as he looked around the area. He noticed that all of his servants were outside waiting for him as they all wanted to see his new mate.

Kagome, to his surprise, was still in his arms and her face was buried in his chest. She had her arms wrapped tightly around his body and he did not understand why she was acting this way. He nudged Kagome on the top of her head to get her attention, "Kagome is something wrong?"

Kagome was still trying to calm down. She could feel a lot of Youkai in the area and she was nervous. She looked up as she heard Sesshoumaru's words. "No, nothing is wrong I'm just nervous that's all. Where are we?"

"This is the Shiro of the West, welcome to my home mate." Sesshoumaru said in a flourish, as his arm swept out in front of him introducing her to his home.

Kagome slowly moved away from Sesshoumaru, she looked up and saw a lot of Youkai soldiers in the area. Turning slowly in his arms, she looked at the Shiro of the West, it was the most beautiful shiro she has ever seen.

The tall structure standing in front of her has not been touched by time and it was ancient. Its beautiful white walls and black roof gave it an elegant feel that she could not describe in words.

She heard someone talking to them and turned her blue eyes toward the elderly Youkai that was bowing down right in front of them. Kagome waited patiently for Sesshoumaru to introduce her to the person who was speaking.

Sesshoumaru turned his eyes toward Kaito, "Is everything prepared?"

Kaito stood, answering, "Yes milord, the chambers have been prepared and the shiro is ready for the mating."

Sesshoumaru was pleased with his answer as he turned to Kagome and said, "Kagome, I would like to introduce you to Kaito. He is the head servant here, he keeps my father's shiro running while I'm not here and has done so for many centuries."

Kagome smiled warmly as she bowed and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you Kaito-san. I look forward to speaking to you later. Maybe you can tell me some of the history behind this beautiful shiro."

Kaito stood as he looked at the little female. He was surprised that she actually bowed to him, a servant. She had a warm smile and was very sincere about what she said. There was something about this female that he could not put his finger on, but his lord was very happy to be with her. If his beast actually picked her as his mate, she must have something that is attracting him. He was in no position to criticize his lord for his choice in females.

"I will look forward to that milady." Kaito stated and stepped aside to allow them to enter the shiro.

Sesshoumaru moved forward as he escorted his mate to the mating chambers. He could not wait to claim her and have her for the rest of his life. At that moment he felt an attack coming as he leaped into the air with Kagome by his side.

Sesshoumaru turned as he lashed out with his golden whip at the person who dared attack him in his own home. His whip was deflected by a powerful barrier as his eyes narrowed in anger. Never before has his whip been deflected and this surprised him.

He landed gently on the ground, keeping Kagome close to his side as he started to growl viciously at the female standing in front of him. Miyako was proving to be a thorn in his side and he should have killed her when he had the chance to do so. "What is the meaning of this? Why are you attacking this Sesshoumaru?"

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Sorry but the mating will not happen until the next chapter.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome must first overcome the prejudice between their kinds before any happiness can be had. Plus Kagome must learn how to fight to keep what she has or risk losing everything to another.

And in response to some of the reviews I have gotten so far, yes some of you are on the right track with Kagome's mother. But you will have to wait and see where I have her character going. That is all I will say on her.

The mating will be in the next chapter. I will try hard to put it up soon. If you give me an hour I will put the mating up as soon as possible for your enjoyment. It's my way of saying I'm sorry for not updating sooner.

Until the next time!

Jani


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Miyako was hiding in a dark corner of the courtyard, as she waited for her lord to arrive. She could feel his youki as he was approaching the shiro. She was getting excited and giddy. She has never felt his powers so great and she was proud of herself for choosing such a powerful mate.

Finally she saw her new mate coming as he landed in the central courtyard. She smiled beautifully but when she saw the female in his arms her smile left her features and her anger started to take hold. She was seeing red as her inner Inu was not please that he was with another female.

Her eyes opened wide when she realized that the female was a ningen as a growl escaped her lips. _'How could he pick a filthy ningen to be his mate? She is not even powerful enough to be his mate.'_

Miyako started to think that maybe her mate to be was put under a spell and that's why he was with that filth. Well he will not be with her for very long. When they started to head inside the shiro she saw her chance as she sent an attack towards the ningen.

She did not expect for Sesshoumaru to leap out of the way and take the ningen with him. She quickly put a barrier around her body to protect herself from his whip as it came towards her. She deflected his powerful attack as her red eyes looked at the ningen still in his arms.

Miyako heard Sesshoumaru's questions as she growled, "I was not attacking you milord. I was attacking that filthy ningen that must have you under a spell so you can mate her. I know for a fact that you would never mate a ningen as weak as she is. You were to pick a Youkai female that will produce strong pups as your heirs. You will never humiliate our race by soiling your linage with ningen blood."

Sesshoumaru viciously growled at the female standing in front of him. "You have no right to tell this Sesshoumaru who his mate should be. This female is the most powerful female in the lands and is a worthy mate."

Kagome continued to listen to what was being said when she heard the demoness say, "It doesn't matter. I will not back down. I invoke the ancient law of mating rights. Now your female has no choice but to fight me or risk losing you as a mate, if she denies my challenge. I will have you as my mate."

Kagome had no idea what was going on as she whispered to herself, "What is she talking about?"

Kaito, who was standing nearby tried to explain, "Milady, the ancient law of mating rights is a challenge issued to the female of a male that another female wants. It was established long ago to allow the females to fight for the strongest males. If you do not take her challenge then she has the right to mate with Lord Sesshoumaru, but if you take her challenge then it's a battle to the death and the winner will prove that they are a worthy mate for our Lord."

Kagome understood what Kaito was saying as she looked at Sesshoumaru. His eyes were blood red and his anger was growing by the minute. Then Kagome remembered what Midoriko said to her, _"Y__ou have picked a worthy mate. Make him proud that he has chosen one as well__."_

Kagome understood what she had to do. She was not going to get any respect from the Youkai community if she did not stand up for herself and defeat this female. Her anger that was redirected while traveling to Sesshoumaru's home was now fanned anew as the demoness was degrading her.

Kagome was tired of everyone calling her weak and a good for nothing. She will prove to all here that she was worthy to be Sesshoumaru's mate.

Kagome kept her powers hidden, not wanting anyone to know that she was a miko. This was to her advantage, then she will be able to show everyone just who she was.

Kagome raised her hand up as she gently caressed Sesshoumaru's hand. It calmed him down as she turned to him and said, "Sesshoumaru, if this law actually exists then I have no choice. I will have to accept her challenge."

Kagome was scared out of her mind when Sesshoumaru turned on her and snarled, "I will not allow you to fight her. I have already chosen you as my mate and even if she does manage to defeat you, which I doubt, I will never mate with her because she is too weak for this Sesshoumaru."

Miyako snarled as she yelled, "I will show you just how powerful I am! When I'm finished with that little slut I will have you drooling at my feet." The demoness then stood straight as she cupped her breast and stated in a sensual voice, "Wouldn't you love to get your hands on these and squeeze them? I'm sure that I can be a better mate then that ningen, who has you under a spell of some kind. I will give you full blooded Youkai pups and they will be accepted by all in the lands. If you choose that ningen wench she will be dead by the end of the week!"

Sesshoumaru did not like what the demoness said to him as he lashed out with his golden whip.

Miyako leaped just in time to avoid his punishment. She could not take another hit from his whip. She has already expended a great amount of her energy to deflect his previous attack. She needed what little energy she still had to fight this ningen and then for the mating afterwards. She landed ready to do battle as she saw the ningen standing between her and the Youkai lord.

Kagome had to act fast. This was a battle that she alone has to fight. She got in between the demoness and Sesshoumaru as she yelled, "Sesshoumaru! You cannot interfere in this fight. I understand that you don't want me to get hurt but you chose me as your mate, and as your future mate I have to prove myself to all the Youkai of the lands that I'm worthy to be her."

At that moment Kagome felt danger as a barrier went around her body to protect herself. No one noticed the barrier that she placed around her body as they all turned heated eyes toward the demoness. She attacked Kagome while her back was turned, a dishonorable act, and frowned upon by the Youkai community.

Miyako could not wait until Kagome finished talking to Sesshoumaru, she attacked while the ningens back was turned hoping to end this fight as quickly as possible. She growled with anger when she noticed that her attack did not have any effect on the ningen. Miyako noticed as the ningen slowly turned around, anger was clearly marring her features, as her eyes were turning icy blue.

Kagome turned her heated eyes towards the demoness as she said, "You have no honor, attacking someone while their back is turned towards you. Yet you want to be Sesshoumaru's mate, tell me why do you want him?"

Miyako looked at the ningen as she said in a deadly voice, "Isn't that obvious? He is the strongest male here and he is also the Lord of the Lands. I will gain much respect from the rest of the Youkai. They will all have to bow down to me because I will be his mate."

Kagome's eyes opened wide as she heard her words. She could not believe this, "All you want is the title and power that comes from being his mate? You don't even love him for who he is? Sesshoumaru is a person with deep feelings and wants nothing more than to have that affection returned to him. How can you even mate a male just for power?"

"You know nothing of our ways. This is the way it has been for centuries and its tradition. Only the most powerful can mate a powerful male. You are just a filthy ningen and are not his equal. Your pups will never be accepted as heirs to the lands because they will be filthy hanyou's.

"Why do you think that the lord's brother was driven from this place? He is a filthy hanyou and doesn't deserve the right to be here, only pure blooded Youkai will ever live in this shiro. You are not welcomed here and it will be my pleasure to send you to your death." Miyako stated with distain.

Kagome had enough as she stepped away from a protesting Sesshoumaru, saying, "I accept your challenge. Name your weapon."

Miyako smiled as she said, "I choose swords." She noticed that Kagome did not have any weapons on her as she got an evil gleam in her eyes. This was going to be the death of the ningen.

Kagome understood what she wanted as she mentally called for her sword. She slowly turned as her sword appeared at her side. She moved forward as she took her sword out of its sheath and held it tightly in her hands. She had to plan this attack just right. If she could defeat her without her Reiryoku then she will be making a statement to these Youkai that she was worthy to be Sesshoumaru's mate being a ningen.

Miyako's eyes opened wide when she saw the ningen pull a sword from its sheath. She had no idea where it came from but it did not matter. She was still going to kill her and make Sesshoumaru see that she was the better mate. She pulled her own sword out as she faced off with the ningen.

Kagome came to a stop just a few feet away from her opponent as she stood there and observed her. She has been training all her life and Sango played a big part in her training. Sango always wanted her to learn how to protect herself. She taught her how to handle a sword and she felt that she was ready for this challenge.

Miyako was not one to stand around and wait as she attacked. She moved in fast, as she raised her sword. Bring her sword down, she thought that this was going to be a quick kill. She never expected that the ningen would move in and intercepted her attack.

Kagome was ready as she saw the attack coming. She moved into a fighting stance as she brought her sword up and blocked the attack. They fought for dominance as Kagome would not give in to the female that wanted her Sesshoumaru.

Kagome got her feet underneath her and pushed the demoness away. She brought her sword forward as another attack came in and Kagome blocked, but this time Kagome gave a powerful kick to the demoness chest, quickly recovering her balance to continue the fight.

Miyako was surprised to be flying backwards away from the ningen. She hit the ground hard as she quickly got up and attacked again. She slashed with her sword and missed as she used her claws next and missed as well. The ningen was proving to be fast and she was beginning to have her doubts on whether she could kill her.

Miyako continued to attack and each time the ningen would block or she would avoid the attack completely. She needed something to distract the ningen so she could kill her.

Again Miyako struck with her sword as Kagome countered, but this time Miyako did not give the ningen room to move as they staved off each other's attack. When Miyako was close enough she whispered, "Once I kill you Sesshoumaru will be my mate. I will give him powerful pups and they will be accepted in the Youkai world. If you should win this battle you will never have the respect of the Youkai and the first chance we get we will kill your pups."

That statement caused Kagome's anger to grow. If she ever had any children no one was going to ever harm them. It was time that they all were introduced to the real Kagome. She let her Reiryoku go as her powers increased.

Miyako jumped away from the ningen when she felt the bite of her powers. Her eyes went wide when she noticed how powerful this ningen was. She was hiding her aura and now she has unleashed her full potential.

Kagome looked up as her eyes were going white. Her powers grew as her hair started to move with the force of her Reiryoku. She stood tall as she trained her eyes on her opponent. "No one will ever harm my children. They will be respected in your world or your kind will suffer my wrath. So if you make a threat like that, make sure that you are willing to back it up, because I will kill the first one to ever lay their hands on my children."

Miyako calmed as she face off with the ningen. "So what! You're just a miko. Your kind could not kill us before and you never will. There was only one miko that was powerful enough to do so and she was killed centuries ago. She was also to be the mate of Sesshoumaru but we all thought that his father had gone mad to agree to such a union, to unite the Youkai and ningen worlds. We made sure that she never made it here to the Western Lands and even though plenty Youkai died that day, so did she. We didn't need someone like that to ruin our lives."

That statement made Kagome's anger grow even more. Knowing that she was killed because the Youkai did not want her to mate with Sesshoumaru the first time made her lose all her control as she let go.

Kagome's aura illuminated the area as her powers encircled her body. She held her sword off to the side as she channeled her powers into it. She called forth who she was as she stood tall and deadly. When she spoke there was power behind her voice and it carried around the shiro for all to hear.

"Listen and listen well for I will not repeat myself after this day. You are to tell the Youkai community just who Sesshoumaru's mate is. The first Youkai who even approaches my family and tries to do them harm will feel my wrath. I am Kagome, High Priestess of the Lands, and the Shikon No Tama." Kagome stated in a no nonsense voice.

Kagome could hear the gasps from the Youkai in the area as they all heard what she said. There was no way she could be the High Priestess let alone the Shikon miko. She died over 500 years ago.

Kagome never lost her composer as she continued. "I will not let anyone come between me and my mate, so this is your last warning. Leave here and live a fruitful life or stay and die a painful death." Kagome's eyes told of the pain she was going to inflict on the demoness if she continued to challenge her.

Miyako did not believe what the ningen was telling her. The Shikon miko died long ago and there is no way that she is here now. Her youki flared around her body as her beast came forth, no one was going to take away the male that she has chosen. She attacked as she moved with speed toward her target.

Kagome was ready. She never moved from her spot as she met the attack head on. Kagome brought her sword forward as she swung it up and met Miyako's sword, knocking it out of her hand. The sword was hit with such force that it went flying across the courtyard as it embedded itself in a tree, half way to the hilt.

Kagome then took the palm of her hand as she hit the demoness in the chest. She sent her flying backwards, hitting the ground hard. When Miyako opened her eyes she found herself flat on her back with a sword at her throat. She could not move because the ningen had her foot planted on her chest keeping her pinned to the ground.

Miyako was being held in place by a blind force and when she tried to move the tip of the sword dug into her neck. She howled in pain as she felt the sting of holy powers. She was at the ningens mercy as she stilled from being subdued.

Once Kagome knocked the sword out of the demoness hand she went after her with a vengeance. She placed her foot on her chest and then used her Reiryoku to hold her in place. She could not take the chance of the demoness getting back up once she had her in a submissive hold.

Kagome put her sword against the demoness neck. Then she saw the look in the demoness eyes as she noticed the position she was in. "Now submit! I have beaten you and there is no way you are going to get out of this hold. Submit to me now!"

Miyako had no idea how she got pinned to the ground. She was not happy when she heard the ningens statement. When she would not submit she howled in pain as the sword moved closer to the main artery. She felt when it cut her skin and blood started to seep down her neck.

Kagome did not want to hurt this demoness. She has already made her point to her but unless she got her submission she will be forced to kill her. She really hoped that it did not come down to that. She never liked taking a life if there was another way around it.

Miyako had no idea how to get out of the mess that she was in. She was bleeding heavily and if she did not submit soon she will die from her injuries. She decided that she wanted to live as she bared her throat to the ningen in submission.

Kagome seeing that the demoness finally submitted to her, removed the sword from her neck. She then stepped away from her as she said while putting away her sword, "I want you to leave. Your new job is to tell every Youkai in the lands that the Shikon miko is now Sesshoumaru's mate and my warning to them." Kagome then turned and left the demoness, thinking that the fight was over.

Miyako was finally free of the miko's grasp. She rolled over on her side as her hand went up to her neck to stem the flow of blood. She concentrated her youki on her wound to seal it as she was breathing hard. Once her wound was closed she turned her attention back to the miko who was still walking away from her.

She did not like what she was told to do as her anger was fanned anew. She waited until the ningen was far enough away as she got up from the ground and raced after her. She was about to attack when she noticed that the ningen stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around.

'_This is good'_, Miyako thought, she was almost there and she will be able to see the miko's eyes when she died. But what she did not expect was that Kagome's eyes were now a pure white as she raised her hand up. Miyako slashed with her claws and was met with a powerful blast of Kagome's Reiryoku as she screamed in pain. It was the worst pain she has ever felt in her life as the miko purified her to oblivion.

Kagome was breathing hard as she killed the demoness who had no honor. The adrenalin was still going strong in Kagome's veins when she felt another powerful aura coming towards her. She turned and without thinking she sent another blast of her Reiryoku towards the person that was attacking her.

Kagome thought that she killed her attacker. Turning she started running away from this area, wanting to leave to go back home. She took off at a fast clip, moving faster than the average ningen as she fled in fear. She was setting her sights on the forest as she made a beeline straight there.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was watching as Kagome battled the demoness. He was not happy at the moment because his female disregarded his decision on her fighting with the female Youkai. He was about to go after her when he found himself surrounded by 20 of his Youkai soldiers.

Kaito watched the exchange between his lord and the young female. The female has a sense of honor and knew that she did not have a choice when the other female issued that challenge to her.

When Kaito observed Kagome walking off to do battle, he noticed, that his lord was about to go after her. He signaled to the soldiers around the area as they formed a circle around Sesshoumaru.

Kaito stepped forward as he said, "Lord Sesshoumaru you must let your female prove herself to all here. If she wants to be your mate she must battle Miyako. You cannot interfere with what must happen. It is the law and you are not above it."

Sesshoumaru snarled at his servant, saying in a deadly voice, "The female in question is my match and I will not have her getting hurt battling this weak female. She is mine and I will protect her."

Sesshoumaru made to move but the soldiers blocked his path as he barred his fangs and growled. It was a warning for them to get out of his way or they will suffer his wrath.

The soldiers were all shaking in their boots but could not back down from what they were doing. The little female has to prove herself or else no one will protect her as Sesshoumaru's mate.

Then all too soon they felt the bite of Reiryoku as they all turned to see what was going on. The little onna was glowing with power. She was a powerful miko as they heard her declaration. They could not believe that she was the High priestess of the Lands. They all knew that she died centuries ago and that there was no one that powerful.

Sesshoumaru noticed what was going on with his mate as he yipped, growled, and snarled to all around him, _"If you all wish to live, I suggest you stand behind me. She is about to unleash her powers and if she does you will be purified."_

No one needed to be told twice, they all moved behind Sesshoumaru. They knew that their Lord will protect them from his female.

Sesshoumaru flared his youki, forming a barrier around his body. It protected not only himself but those with him, whilst he continued to watch what his lovely mate was doing.

While Kagome was fighting, Sesshoumaru's desires for her grew. She was everything he wanted in a mate and more. He could not wait to get her alone so he can make her his for all eternity.

Sesshoumaru was relieved when the demoness finally submitted to his mate, he lowered his barrier and started walking towards Kagome. He noticed when the demoness went after his mate while her back was turned, he snarled and took off, trying to reach his mate in time.

He saw Kagome turn and attack the demoness, purifying her from the face of the earth. Then he saw her turn around and attack again, but this time it was aimed at him. She did not realize what she was doing, as her attack hit him full force.

The ring on Sesshoumaru's finger flared with power, protecting him from her wrath. He leaped from the middle of the blast as he went after his mate tackling her from behind.

Kagome screamed when she was caught. Powerful arms came around her chest, turning her just in time to avoid hitting the ground face first, when she fell forward.

Kagome saw her world going around in circles, rolling across the ground, struggling hard to get free from her attacker, when she landed face first in the snow.

They were both covered in snow, Sesshoumaru was having a hard time with his mate, who didn't want to be subdued. He was on top of her as he tried to get a better grip on her wiggling form.

Kagome got her legs under her, pushing her assailant off her back, she succeeded in throwing him off with a blast from her Reiryoku, and took off running again.

Sesshoumaru snarled as he got up off the ground, seeing that his mate was disoriented, he went after her. Seizing her from behind again, they fell to the ground face first. His fangs grew in size, while he grabbed her by the back of the neck. He caged her struggling form beneath his body and held on to her. He started to growl low and steady while he tried to calm her.

Kagome had no idea who was on top of her but she was not about to give up without a fight. She kept moving as she tried to throw her attacker off. She flared her Reiryoku around her body, attacking the person on her back.

She failed in removing the male, and then she felt the bite of his fangs. She stopped her movements when she felt the pressure on the back of her neck. Kagome started to whimper and cry from the pain she was feeling but she was not about to give up.

Kagome was acting just like a demoness right before a mating. They will fight against their chosen mate to see if they could subdue them. It was part of the mating ritual. The female wanted to know that the male was powerful enough to subdue and protect her. If the male subdued her then they were a perfect pair.

Kagome's powers were out of control as Sesshoumaru's tried to restrain her. His powers flared around them as he grabbed hold of her Reiryoku and contained it. His mate was a spitfire when pissed as she fought against him to get free, but he would not let go of her. It took some time but she finally calmed down, after he pulled her into his chest and continued to purr.

-oOo-

All of the servants were amazed at the way their lord handled the powerful miko. No one knew that he had such great powers to subdue a miko of her caliber. He was containing her powers, protecting all in the shiro. He was holding her by the back of the neck, his body was on top of hers, as she was face down in the snow.

They all heard his growls, trying to soothe his distressed mate. They finally noticed when the miko relax in their lord's arms as he finally released her. Sesshoumaru turned his mate around in his arms, looking at her. He brushed the hair away from her face gazing upon her beauty.

He was caressing her cheeks lovingly with his thumb, his eyes sparkling with the love that he felt for her. Emotions were clearly seen in his golden orbs when he gazed upon her features. No one has ever seen this side of him before and it looked like he did not care at the moment. His only concern was for the female that he was holding in his arms as he took in her scent. That heavenly scent seemed to calm his beast as he bent down and caressed his cheeks against hers. He held her closer to his chest as he continued to purr for her.

Sesshoumaru was happy that his mate was finally under control. Her Reiryoku receded back as she relaxed in his arms. She always relaxed in his arms whenever he purred for her. He didn't know why it soothed her but he was happy that it did.

Once Sesshoumaru felt that his mate was relaxed enough he slowly stood bringing Kagome with him. He cradled her in his arms as she rested her head against his chest. She was content for the moment as he continued with his growls.

Then Sesshoumaru sensed Youkai approaching him, his eyes turned red and he barred his fangs at the intruders. He noticed all of the servants and soldiers stopping a few feet away from him, bowing in unisons.

Kaito along with every servant in the shiro approach their lord as they stopped, "Lord Sesshoumaru, we pledge our protection and loyalty to you and your new mate for as long as we live. She is a worthy mate for you oh lord."

Sesshoumaru red eyes scanned the area as he saw everyone's agreement to Kaito statement. He looked up to the sky and noticed that the full moon was almost to its apex. The moon looked larger than usual and this was strange to him. He has not seen the moon this large in a very long time. As a matter of fact the last time he noticed the moon this large was when the High Priestess of the Lands was supposedly traveling to the west to be his mate. But all those thoughts aside, it was time that he took his female and made her his.

Sesshoumaru took off with such speed that it looked like he just disappeared from sight as he headed towards the mating chambers. The chambers were located in the lower portion of the shiro. It was in a secret place only known to a few in the shiro.

He stopped in front of a wall as he opened his senses. When he was satisfied that he was alone in this area he took his hand and placed it on the wall. His youki came forth as a door appeared right in front of him.

Sesshoumaru opened the door and stepped inside the room. He looked around and noticed, to his satisfaction, that the room was indeed prepared for him and his mate. It was cleaned and the bed has been made with soft and comfortable silks. He walked in, closing the door behind him, as he placed Kagome on the bed for just a moment.

He went to a stone pillar in the middle of the room as he placed his hand on it. He needed to invoke the room's barriers and seals before they mated. His youki flared with power, surrounding his body with a red aura, as he added his power to the ancient stone pillar. His red youki went around the room invoking the ancient barriers and seals.

The barriers were part of every ruler's power that he left behind when he mated. The room provided protection from being attacked and contained the power that was released during the mating. The Youkai lord's power was then distributed around the shiro to power the barriers that kept them concealed from the outside world and kept their enemies out.

When he was done he turned his attention towards Kagome who was struggling to sit up. She was weakened from her battle but that did not mean that she was helpless. She was far from being helpless.

Sesshoumaru walked back to his mate, as he quickly striped out of his garments. He sat behind her as his hand went around her waist to undo the tie that was holding her obi in place.

Kagome woke up disoriented as she struggled to sit up. She became alarmed when she felt a hand undoing her obi as she started to struggle once again. Sesshoumaru responded by pulling her closer to his body, holding her in his arms, while his chest was vibrating in response to her upset.

Sesshoumaru started to lick her neck. His soft growls relaxed her while he whispered, "Kagome" into her ear. Licking her favorite areas to be caressed, he was rewarded with a soft mewl from his mate. He continued with his goal, her obi fell away from her body, letting her outer coat fall open. Slowly he pulled the obi away from her beautiful waist.

Sesshoumaru then slipped his hand up, slowly opening her coat, pulling it down over her soft succulent shoulders. He nipped at the exposed skin while he was gently caressing her with his clawed fingers. His moves were slow and calculating, wanting her to relax into their mating as he continued to move over her body.

Kagome's mind was still out of it. She still thought that she was fighting against an enemy that captured her when she heard her name being whispered in her ear. It sent a shiver up her spine, the kind she only got when Sesshoumaru said her name sensually. She recognized the smooth baritone voice of her mate as she leaned back into his comforting heat. She felt his hands moving slowly over her body, igniting her passion.

_**-Lemon Begins-**_

Sesshoumaru slowly unzipped her dress, pulling it off the top part of her body. He really wanted to shred the garment to pieces but he knew that females cherished their mating clothes and he did not want to invoke her wrath.

To his surprise Kagome was not wearing a bra. He was happy because that was one less thing he will have to remove as he continued to undress her. With her breast now exposed to him he turned his mate just slightly, his hand cupping her breast, as he brought the nipple closer to his mouth. He lashed on and began to suckle at his favorite treat, leaning her body over his arm, ravishing her breast.

He became very aggressive when his mate moaned at what he was doing. He massaged her breast while he suckled hard on the nipple.

Sesshoumaru's tail was very busy as well, it was pulling off the dress that Kagome was wearing and now she was exposed to his hungry eyes. His tail went up her long delicious legs, caressing her. He made it to her feminine flower and gently started to rub her swollen clit, making her move with his touch.

Sesshoumaru decided to lay his mate down on their shared bed, never letting go of the nipple he was currently suckling on. They will provide his pups with much nourishment and he will also have a treat once they were done feeding. He looked forward to that day when his lovely mate will be swollen with his seed. But right now he was more interested in making her his as his hands started to caress her body.

His touch was light as he positioned himself over her body. He nudged her legs apart making sure that her hands were out of his way. He took her wrist and moved them over her head while kissing her passionately. His hands started to glow as he put bindings on her wrists to tie her to the bed. This will prevent her from moving her hands and kept her subdued.

This was the night that he will show her how much she meant to him. He was performing a dance, a dance so ancient that by the time he was finished with her he will have her tied to his life for as long as he lived.

He switched breast moving the other one towards his mouth. He suckled hard giving it as much attention as the other one while his hard member was slowly rubbing her lower region. His tail was doing a perfect job in getting her ready for their mating as it continued to rub her the right way.

Soon he grew tired of her breast as he moved lower down her body. He heard his mate protesting that she could not move as he growled, "Not this night mate. This is the night that I will finally complete the ritual and make you mine for the rest of my life. I will endure your wrath after we have mated. Just relax and enjoy our mating for there is more to come."

Kagome could not believe that Sesshoumaru was not going to let her touch him. It was very unfair to her, stating, "You lied to me Sesshoumaru! You said that I can have whatever I wanted once we were alone, and here you are restraining me from touching you."

Kagome then gave a throaty groan, arching her back, when he went down her body. He was driving her crazy with his touch and it was setting her body on fire. Her protest died on her lips as his hands caressed the side of her body. She has, so far, let him have his way and he was doing a wonderful job satisfying her.

Sesshoumaru realized that he did promise her anything she wanted, but not tonight. He was more than willing to give her the world after he was done mating her. He continued going down her body, approaching her feminine flower. He took his claws and ripped away her panties, quickly throwing them to the ground.

His eyes opened wide when he noticed that she has shaved her flower. He moved her legs apart and out of his way as his tail held them in place. She was almost ready to receive him but first he wanted a taste of her essence.

He lowered his head as his long tongue came out of his mouth. It finally made contact with those sweet lips as he growled his pleasure.

Kagome was struggling in Sesshoumaru's grasp. She wanted to desperately touch her mate as she felt his tongue starting to caress her. He was being aggressive and she moaned, wanting him to continue with his actions.

Sesshoumaru finally got to his goal, then he quickly pulled away from his mate as his eyes started to go a deeper red. _'That taste, that taste is so unique, there is a spiciness to it that I can't place. It's causing my beast to push forward as he wants to take over the mating.' _

Sesshoumaru fought with his beast to prevent him from hurting their mate, when Sesshoumaru heard him say, _**"Our bitch is coming into heat! She can be pupped this night if we wait for her scent to peak!"**_

Sesshoumaru was shocked by this but it was even better than what he expected. To have her as his for all eternity and get a pup of his own was all he ever wished for. But he has not talked to his mate about having pups. He did not know if she wanted any pups yet. There was no way he was going to pass up this opportunity as he went back to his protesting mate.

He left her high and dry and she was in pain. He resumed his attention to her, opening her more than before. He became even more aggressive feasting on her wonderful juices, until she came.

Kagome's was quickly coming down from her high, it was now time that he took what was his. His arm went under her hips as he brought her closer to his body. He flipped her over and put her on all fours. His arm moved lower to bring her hips up to be even with his member.

Kagome was breathing hard, she has never had an orgasm that intense before, so she was trying to come down from her high. Sesshoumaru has set her body on fire. She noticed when he moved away from her lower region as he came up her body.

His arm was going underneath her as she was flipped over on her stomach and her hips were raised off the bed. She felt something very hot and large rubbing her as she started moving to his tempo. Then she felt hot lips on hers shoulder.

Sesshoumaru was kissing his mates neck and shoulder. He was getting the area ready for his mark plus distracting her from what he was doing, making his move to enter her. He immediately felt how tight she was. This was not going to be easy and he knew that she was going to struggle in his grasp once he was fully sheathed.

He held her firmly in his grasp while he continued to rock his hips moving deeper into her core. He came to her barrier as he braced himself. Holding Kagome firmly in his arms he held her hips up as he finally sheathed himself fully in one swift move.

Kagome screamed in pain, when Sesshoumaru slammed into her, she felt like she was being ripped in two. Her powers came forth to protect herself while she continued to struggle in Sesshoumaru's arms, trying to get away from the pain she was feeling.

Sesshoumaru felt the spike of Kagome's powers. He flared his youki, struggling to contain his crying mate. His youki was protecting him from his mate's wrath as his beast tried to sooth her with his purrs.

Kagome started to calm down, her pain was great, but it was slowly starting to go away. She never knew that it would hurt this much to join with Sesshoumaru. She couldn't help but moan her pleasure as her pain started to go away.

Sesshoumaru held still, letting his mate get used to the invasion of her body. He felt her starting to relax. He reached down underneath her body and started to stoke her. He felt her muscle clinch, and a ripple was felt all the way down his entire length. He groaned his pleasure, panting from the feeling he was receiving from his lovely mate.

He was holding on to her shoulder with his fangs as he slowly moved within his mate. He felt her relax and opened herself fully to him. This is what he wanted while he continued to move, building up the passion between them.

Sesshoumaru was moving slowly, he was trying to find a rhythm that his mate would enjoy. He moved her hips up to give him a better angle. When he succeeded he was hitting a place that his mate found most enjoyable.

Kagome did not know what Sesshoumaru was hitting but it was starting to make that knot come back to her stomach. It was getting tighter by the minute the more he stroked her. She was panting hard trying to control her powers. She could not let go of them for fear of purifying her mate.

Then she heard, "Mate, let go of your passion for me. You will not hurt me but I need to feel the passion and love that you have for me so we can finish our mating. Let your powers go mate." Kagome complied with his request, letting go of her passion. She released her powers as it lit up the room with her passion.

Kagome was panting hard as the knot got tighter and tighter. She has released her powers but she felt that something was very wrong. She did not feel complete as she looked down and saw her mate's hand. Her soul was still in the ring as Sesshoumaru never released that part of her.

She slowly moved her hand towards his as her palm made contact with the ring on his finger. The other part of her soul connected to her as her powers grew tenfold. Her Reiryoku spiked heavily when she felt that she was reaching her end.

Sesshoumaru felt when his mate let go of her passion. He could feel her love for him in her aura as he continued to pound into her heated core. He let his youki go as it surrounded his mate to tie her life to his.

Then he felt her hand on his as his mates powers grew in strength. He growled as his beast came forth to take over the mating. He needed to use the rest of his powers to subdue his mate's powers. He has never in his life, had to use this power and his beast was the only one that could release it.

His red aura grew in power as Sesshoumaru's beast came forth. His eyes turned white, as his body grew in size. He maintained his ningen form when his beast merged with his logical side.

Their power was so great that it was starting to percolate out of the room they were in. The pillar in the middle of the room came to life as it started to absorb their excess power. It was glowing brightly as it took in all of that power.

Sesshoumaru let loose of his full powers as he grabbed Kagome's aura and wrapped it in his. Their powers merged together as one, finally tying his mate's life span to his.

He felt when Kagome came to her end, screaming his name to the heavens. That's all it took for Sesshoumaru, to howl his conquest of his mate. His mouth came down, sinking his fangs into her shoulder marking her as his mate for life.

Their power finally reseeded back as Sesshoumaru was licking his mate's wounds making sure that he healed them. He was spent as his mate was already unconscious in his arms. He pulled her closer to his chest, laying their bodies down on their side, he curled his body around hers and pulled the covers over them. He passed out once he was settled as the barriers and seals in the mating chambers will protect them while they recovered from their mating.

_**-End of the Lemon-**_

The power that the pair released during their mating was causing havoc in the shiro. Everyone that lived there came running outside when they felt the shiro shake violently. They had no idea what was going on as they all fled their home.

They gathered around Kaito as one of the servants asked, "Kaito-sama what is going on? What is happening to the shiro?"

Kaito looked up as he saw the shiro glowing. His eyes opened wide as the power that their lord released was causing their home to glow brightly. They all watched as the pillar that was on top of the shiro came to life as five bright beams of light shot out and went to the five pillars around the grounds.

Everyone watched the five pillars that were starting to glow brightly with power around the area. They continued to gain in its intensity as it became almost too bright for them to see. Then the shiro did something that they never expected.

The five pillars around the shiro then shot a beam of light towards the sky. The center pillar on the top of the shiro also shot a beam of light into the sky, merging with the other five beams, while they went straight to the moon. It was a powerful beam as its power was felt throughout the lands.

-oOo-

Youkai all over Japan felt the power spike while they all looked into the sky. They noticed where this power was coming from and the beam of light that signaled its location. Many Youkai left their homes and headed west. They knew of only one thing that could cause this power spike, the lord of the lands has finally taken a mate. It meant that he was weak at this moment and it was their chance to get rid of him. So they headed west hoping to kill him before he recovered from his mating.

-oOo-

Back at the shiro Kaito was bombarded with questions as he tried to explain what has happened in the shiro.

"Everyone please calm down. Our lord has finally finished the mating ritual and that is what you have all been experiencing. The beam of lights is the excess power that he used to tie his mates life to his. The power gets distributed to the barrier that protects and conceals the shiro." Kaito stated in a calm voice to everyone in the area.

The servants started to calm down when he heard, "Then what was that beam of light that went into the sky towards the moon? We have never seen that before."

Kaito had to think but he could only remember a legend, then everyone started pointing up to the sky, as they all turned to see what was happening.

The moon reacted to the beam of light that was sent its way. It grew brighter as two beams of light illuminated an area on the ground. It was shining radiantly in the front courtyard as a crescent moon formed from the light. The snow started to melt where the light covered the ground. Flowers were starting to grow as very large white moon flowers stood there in all its glory.

Kaito eyes opened wide as he realized what they were witnessing. Moon flowers have not been seen in the shiro of the west since Sesshoumaru's Hiijiji ruled this land. _'But the moon flower signified that the miko of the earth has mated their lord. It was a sign of her rule here in the west as she cared for all in the lands. But if memory serves me correctly the western lands, during that time, flourished under their rule.'_

Kaito was confused but he will have to wait until he could speak to their new lady to see if she was this type of miko.

Everyone in the area turned to him for answers. Kaito sighed, saying, "I have my theories. It was said that the miko of the earth was the only one that can call forth the moon flowers. It was a sign of the union between the moon and earth as she ruled here in the west. When our lady died the moon flowers died with her and have not been seen since. I won't know for sure until I speak with our new lady. But until then we should all get some rest. Our lord has finally mated and we need to get his bed chambers ready come morning."

The servants all agreed as they all went back into the shiro to get some much needed rest. The morning will prove difficult if their lord comes out of the mating chambers and they were caught anywhere near his location.

Kaito walked closer to the moon flowers as he looked at all of them. They were beautiful and the fragrance they gave off was heavenly to his senses. He did not understand how they could grow in the middle of winter and not be affected by the cold. The ground around the area was very warm and there was no snow on the ground where they were located. He shook his head as he turned and went back into the shiro. He had a feeling that their lord will be up and about in the morning, wishing to get a meal and a more comfortable bed for his mate.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was slowly coming out of his slumber. His heart rate started increasing, his breathing got deeper to fill his lungs, signaling that he was waking. His mind was slowly waking as the fog that was there started to clear up.

Sesshoumaru felt drained of power. He has never felt this weak in all his life. He did not know what he did to get himself into this state. He started to think back to the moment before he fell unconscious. Memories of his mating with his beautiful Kagome came to his mind as it started providing him with the details of his mating.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. He was surprised that the shiro was still standing after his mating. He never needed to use his full powers before and in order to tie his mates life to his he was forced to call forth those powers. His beast came forth to help him in the mating when his lovely mate let go of her true powers.

Kagome was a very powerful being whether she knew it or not. He almost had to use all of his youki to tie her life to his, thus making him very weak. He was slowly recovering his strength, but he has not fully recovered yet. He was strong enough to protect his mate if he chose to leave the mating chamber and go upstairs to his own room.

He needed to get food for Kagome and he needed to tend to her needs. She was still very weak at the moment as he looked down into his arms. He saw nothing but black hair as he took his hand and moved her hair off to the side.

His mate was still asleep in his arms as he looked at her. He noticed her shoulder and looked at the area where he marked her. His mating mark has healed and when it healed it created a fairly large crescent moon with what looked like a moon flower in the middle of the crescent. It was a strange mark but the crescent was a clear sign that she was his mate. She also had a crescent moon on her forehead for all to see.

He leaned down and kissed her. Her beautiful sweet lips were nice and soft to the touch. He ran his tongue over them to get them wet and to see if he could wake her from her sleep, but his mate would not respond to his touch. This worried him as he looked at her with concern.

Sesshoumaru decided that he needed to leave the mating chambers so he could take care of his mate. He slowly released her from his grasp, pulling away from her warm body. He stood up slowly, stretching his tired body, while he listened to the pops that his bones gave, and then found his hakama. Once he had them on he took his haori and laid it on the bed. He picked his mate up and then laid her down on top of his haori, wrapping her up in its warmth, to prevent anyone from seeing what was his.

When he was satisfied that he covered everything that belonged to him he picked her up in his arms and rested her against his chest. His tail came up to keep her close, he was ready to leave the mating chambers.

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath, sending his youki out to ferret out any threats to his mate. His powerful aura quickly searched the area and when he found no threat he left the mating chamber.

Kaito was waiting patiently for his lord to come out of the mating chambers. It has been two days and they still have not seen their lord. The servants were all nervous. They knew that they had to stay out of their lord's way when he came out of his hiding place with his mate. He will be very protective of the female like any other Inu Youkai when freshly mated. Until the female recovered from the mating the male will be very aggressive.

Kaito left a guard at the entrance that lead down to the lower parts of the shiro. He was to signal the rest of the shiro inhabitants when he felt that their lord was coming up so everyone will be prepared.

The lone guard grew bored. Nothing has happened since they put him in this place to guard the entrance. He wished he could just leave and do something else. He was contemplating what he would be doing when he felt a powerful aura coming from below.

He recognized it immediately, he started to shake in fear of what his lord would do to him if he found him in this area. He did the only thing he could, he fled the area, giving the alarm that their lord was coming.

The servants fled the area as they all got out of the lords way. They did not want to invoke his wrath as they fled. Only one figure stood there waiting for him as he sent word to the kitchens to get a meal ready and sent to the lord's chambers. He will be looking for food to regain his strength and to feed his mate.

Sesshoumaru felt when all the Youkai in the area left in a hurry. They were giving him his space and he was happy with this. But he felt that there was a lone Youkai that was waiting for him as his anger grew. Whoever this Youkai was will die by his hand if he thought that he could take his mate away from him.

He reached the top of the stairs as a low growl came from his throat. It was a warning for the Youkai to leave the area.

Kaito saw his lord coming up from the lower portion of the shiro. He bowed deeply to him, stating, "Congratulations milord on your mating. Your chambers have been prepared and food has already been brought up for you and your mate. The bathing chambers have been prepared with healing herbs for the female so she can recover quickly from her mating. If you will please follow me, milord, I will take you there."

Kaito then got up and lead the way to Sesshoumaru's bed chambers.

Sesshoumaru's red eyes scanned the area and found that they were alone. He heard the Youkai words to him and followed him upstairs. He was an elderly Youkai so he was no threat to his mate. But he kept his senses opened to make sure that this was not a trap to get his female.

They were walking down the main hallway to get to Sesshoumaru's bed chambers. Kaito was walking ahead to open the doors to his chambers before he got there.

Sesshoumaru was making his way towards his chambers when a female Youkai came out of one of the rooms to the left carrying dirty linen. She froze when she saw her lord with his mate. She was scared out of her mind as she stood there like a deer caught in a bright beam of light.

Sesshoumaru snarled as he readied his poison whip. He was about to unleash his attack when Kagome started to move in his arms. She whimpered and brought Sesshoumaru's attention back to her.

Kaito quickly ran to the servant and got her out of harm's way as she fled down the hallway away from their lord.

Sesshoumaru heard his mate's whimpers and turned his attention from the female Youkai to her. He reached up with his hand, gently caressing her cheeks. Kagome settled down in his arms as he looked up only to find the female Youkai gone from the area. His youki spread throughout the area and when he was satisfied that it was safe he continued on his way.

He finally made it to his bed chambers, his senses were on full alert, searching for anyone trying to harm what was his. When he was satisfied that there was no one in his chambers he placed a barrier around his room, when he took in the scent of food.

He looked over to a table that was in the room, he noticed that his servants have brought food for him and his mate. He looked down in his arms and noticed that his mate was still asleep against his chest. He knew that she needed to eat but they both needed to get cleaned up from their mating. The healing herbs that reached his nose was enough to make up his mind on what he wanted to do.

He placed his mate on the bed while he took off his hakama, then he turned to his female as he opened up his haori and picked her up again in his arms. He headed straight for the hot springs to get her bathed and let her body recover from their mating.

He walked into the springs with his mate in his arms, slowly making his way to the stone bench that was there for him to rest upon. He sat down and placed his mate in his lap as he pulled her closer to his chest.

He gently moved his fingers over her skin, caressing every dip, every curve her body possessed. Slowly making sure that he got her cleaned and that the herbs in the water helped to soothe her aches. His fingers were caressing her back in small circles, he allowed himself to relax, emitting a low growl that was relaxing to his female.

After a little while Sesshoumaru noticed that his mate's heartbeat was increasing along with her breathing, she was finally waking up.

-oOo-

Kagome was slowly waking up from her deep sleep. Her mind was foggy and confusion covered her aura, she couldn't remember what happened to her. She was very tired, the energy was completely gone from her body, and she didn't know why she was feeling this way. She could not remember what she did to be exhausted. Her body did not want to move, just breathing took an effort on her part as she slowly opened her eyes.

The first thing she noticed was that she was leaning against a nice warm chest. It was soft on her cheek and she felt it vibrating, while rubbing her face against it. She found joy in that movement as she slowly moved her head up.

Her eyes came into focus as she saw the honey colored eyes of Sesshoumaru. She smiled beautifully for him as she whispered, "Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru saw his mate slowly opening her eyes. She was rubbing her cheek against his chest wanting affection from him. He purred as he brought her closer to his body.

She reacted immediately as she growled and purred her delight. When she lifted her head to look at him, he saw her eyes finally coming into focus. Her beautiful smile made his heart beat faster as he leaned down and captured her sweet lips with his.

His mate responded beautifully, her arms came up, wrapping them around his neck, and deepened the kiss. He responded by bringing her closer to him as he deepened it even more, his hands were roaming over her body as she was responding to his touch. But all too soon they had to pull apart for lack of air as they were both breathing hard from their shared moment.

His eyes showed his love for her as he looked deeply into her eyes. They were the bluest of blue and they were shinning with happiness.

Kagome could not believe the kiss she got from Sesshoumaru. It was so passionate and hungry that he took her breath away. She was panting hard as she looked around the area and noticed that they were in a spring of some kind. Curious about where she was, she turned to him and asked, "Sesshoumaru where are we?"

Sesshoumaru growled bringing his mate closer to him, "We are in the bathing chambers in my room. This hot spring has been treated with herbs that will help you get your energy back from our mating. You are still recovering from it, which is why you are feeling very tired right now."

Kagome was blown away by his response to her question, "How do you know that I'm still tired?"

Sesshoumaru grabbed his mate and then stood to get out of the spring. He heard her question, saying, "I can feel your weakness through our bond and I know that you are hungry. The servants have prepared us a meal and I want you to eat and then rest. It will help you to recover and get stronger."

Sesshoumaru stopped by a corner of the room as he got some towels to dry his mate. She was shivering from the cold, and not wanting her to get ill he quickly wrapped a warm robe around her body. Once he was done drying her, he then picked her up, and went back into his room.

The food was kept warm while they were in the bathing chambers by a spell. His servants never knew when he will sit down to eat so they always cast a spell on his meal that will keep it fresh until he was ready.

He placed his mate back on the bed as he went and got her food. He placed her food down on the table next to the bed, reaching over and picking her up, he placed her back in his lap, while he held her closer to his chest. He reached over and started to feed her as he heard his mate say, "Sesshoumaru, what are you doing? I can feed myself."

Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat as his eyes started to bleed red. Kagome seeing that her mate was getting angry with her, submitted to his desires. Kagome nuzzled him under his chin in apology, as she accepted the food that he gave her.

Kagome learned early on to submit to Sesshoumaru's beast. She knew that he will not hurt her but when he wanted to do something for her she learned to let him do it so he will be happy. She noticed that his eyes stayed red as he fed her. She was wondering whether he was going to eat as she asked, "Sesshoumaru, aren't you going to eat? You need to regain your strength too."

Sesshoumaru growled, stating, "I will eat once you have eaten. I want to make sure that you have enough food before I eat." Kagome took in his response as she continued to eat.

Kagome decided that she liked being fed by her mate. He was very attentive to her and once she was full she snuggled into his chest as she gave a big yawn. Her arms went around his chest, the vibration that she felt coming from his chest soothed her into a restful sleep.

Sesshoumaru continued to purr until his mate was lulled back to sleep. He then took off her robe as he placed her back into their bed. Now that she has eaten her fill he was now free to eat himself. He went and got the other plate that was on the table as he uncovered his food. His beast came forth to feed as he saw the fresh meat that was prepared for him.

There was liver and meat soaking in blood as his fangs grew longer and he feasted. Once he was done he cleaned himself by licking his hands and lips, when he was done he went to join his mate.

Sesshoumaru was tired and needed to rest to regain his strength. He crawled into bed as he brought his mate into his arms and held her. His body was curled around her slight form keeping her warm as he took in her delicious scent. Sleep finally came, he fully relaxed and fell asleep with Kagome in his arms.

-oOo-

The next morning Kagome was slowly waking up. She was warm and she was feeling movement underneath her. She slowly opened her eyes when she noticed that she was laying on her mate's chest while he slept. It was the usual position that she would find herself in since she has met the male that she was now married/mated to.

She could still feel her soul in his ring. It was her way to protect the male that she loved with all her heart. If he needed help she will be able to channel her powers thru the ring to help him fight against his enemies.

Her stomach rolled and she noticed that she was hungry. She thought that she would just get up, find the kitchen, and make breakfast for her new mate. But getting out of his arms without waking him was going to be hard.

His arm was wrapped around her back as he held her tight. She could feel his fingers on her waist while she tried to move off his chest. She huff as she thought about the best way to extract herself from her mate. It took time but she finally got his arm off her back, slowly pulling away from him.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she stood up and went to get cleaned up. She came out of the bathing chambers and looked for some clothes to wear. She saw a door off to the side, being curious she decided to open it and her eyes went wide.

There was all manner of kimono's, haori, and hakama that she could wear in every color imaginable. She found one that she liked, it was a dark blue with white flowers and green vines going around the edge of the haori. The hakama matched her top as she grabbed a brown obi that held the same kind of flowers on it.

Kagome wondered what kind of flowers they were because they looked very pretty. Once she was dressed, she went over to the dresser and grabbed a brush to comb her hair.

Kagome never noticed that she had a mark on her forehead for all to see. It was a mark that stated that she was the new Lady of the West. When she was done combing her hair she was ready to find the kitchen and get some food.

She walked out of the closet when she noticed that she forgot to put on some shoes. She looked around the area but she could not find any shoes or anything else that she could wear. _'Damn, now I have to walk around without any shoes and I'll probably get sick by having cold feet.'_

Then Kagome noticed that her feet were not cold. The stone floor was actually warm under her feet. She was happy about this as she made her way to the door and slowly opened it. She made sure not to disturb the barrier that her mate put on the door as she slowly walked out and closed the door behind her.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as she looked to the left then the right. She noticed that she was at the end of a hallway as she turned left and headed down that way. She thought that if she could find some of the servants and asked where the kitchen was located, she could cook her breakfast and hurry back to Sesshoumaru before he woke.

Kagome was happy with this idea while she was making her way down the long hallway. Out of shear habit she kept her aura and scent hidden, along with her Reiryoku. She was walking silently down the hallway, taking in all of the wonderful paintings that adorned the walls.

They were beautiful paintings that depicted a different scene from a time long gone. She heard a noise up ahead, thinking that it was the servants she made her way there. They were female servants up ahead and this was perfect. She could ask her question and find the kitchen. But as she approached, Kagome was able to hear what they were saying. She came to a stop before she turned the corner and listened in on their conversation.

Tears came to her eyes as the reality of their words hit her hard.

-oOo-

The female servants were hurrying to get the western wing cleaned. They have no desire to be in this wing, with their lord being freshly mated. They knew he will kill the first one that got close to his mate and they feared for their lives.

The servant in charge was in a hurry as she yelled, "Hurry everyone, we must get out of this section of the shiro. We don't want to be caught in this wing should that ningen wake up from her slumber. I for one don't want to risk her wrath should she be disturbed."

One of the other servants agreed with her statement, replying, "Did you see how powerful she was when she purified Miyako. She scared me half to death when she did that. I didn't think that there were miko's still alive that can purify demons. I'm afraid that if I do something wrong around her that I could wind up like Miyako."

The demoness's finished what they were doing as they hurried out of the western wing. They pitied the servants that will have to serve them their meals. They risk losing their lives if their lord got angry with them for getting too close to his mate.

Kagome was listening to everything that the servants were saying. They were all scared of her, she never wanted to make Sesshoumaru's household scared of her. All she wanted was respect from them. She didn't mean for them to live in fear for their lives when they approached her. She would never harm any of them. She had to kill that demoness because she did not have a choice in the matter.

Tears were now flowing down her cheeks as she pondered what to do. Kagome leaned heavily on the wall next to her, trying to gather herself. She saw no way out of her situation, the only thing that she could do was to leave and go home, that way everyone in the shiro will go back to their normal lives. She did not want the servants to live in fear of her.

She took off running out of the western wing. She ran by many of the servants as they all fled from her. Tears were continuing to flow down her cheeks when she finally found the main doors and ran out of the shiro. She was determined to head back home. She will get in contact with her mate later and tell him where she was located.

-oOo-

Kaito was waiting by the main entrance to the western wing. He was waiting for the female servants to come back out from cleaning that area of the shiro. He was keeping his senses open to make sure that their lord did not wake up.

He knew what could happen if their lord caught them down there in his wing. He had his ears open when he heard the female's words, and then thought _'Stupid bitches, they should learn to keep their opinions to themselves and not speak so openly. If the lord heard what they are saying it will be their death.'_

He noticed when the servants finally came out of the west wing and he was happy. He was about to close the door when a small figure dressed in dark clothes came running out of the wing heading toward the main entrance.

Kaito knew who it was and took off after her. He had no idea why she was leaving but since their lord was not with her it was not good for her to leave on her own. Sesshoumaru will destroy the shiro looking for his missing mate and he had to find out why his new lady was acting this way.

Kaito finally caught up to Kagome as she made it to the place where the moon flowers were growing. He leaped in front of her, making her stop, and quickly asked, "Please milady, why are you trying to leave?"

Kagome stopped in her tracks when she saw Kaito standing there in front of her. She tried to go around him but he blocked her path. She turned her glassy blue eyes to him as she pleaded, "Please, please let me leave. I don't want all of you to live in fear because I'm here. I would never hurt anyone on purpose but it seems that you all fear me. I don't want to disrupt the day to day life here in the shiro. I just want to go home."

Kaito finally understood what was going on. She must have heard those females talking and she took it the wrong way. He needed to soothe her fears and get her to stay or their lord will be upset that his mate was gone.

He stood tall, taking small steps towards her, so he would not frighten her, while he said in a gentle voice, "Milady, the servants here in the shiro don't fear you. They know that what happened last night was not your fault. They respect the power that you hold because it has been a long time since they have seen a miko with enough spiritual power to purify them."

He was going to continue when he heard, "No! That's not what I just heard! They fear me, ME! They don't want to be near me for fear of being purified."

Kaito continued to move forward as he caught the little miko in his arms, while she cried her heart out. He moved her to a stone bench that was in the middle of the moon flowers, sitting her down and giving her a handkerchief to clean her eyes. He sat down next to her as he took a more fatherly tone with her. "Milady, it is not you they fear, it's our lord."

Kagome looked up as she asked, "Why would they be scared of him?"

Kaito thought for a few minutes as he asked, "Milady, how much do you know about the Inu Youkai nature when they mate?"

Kagome thought for a few minutes, "I really don't know that much about Inu Youkai and their behavior. I have been learning from Sesshoumaru but I don't fully understand his nature. I have looked in books and on the internet but there isn't a lot of information out there for me to read."

Kaito listened to what Kagome was saying as he set about to educate her on the Inu Youkai nature. "When an Inu Youkai mates they become very aggressive and protective of their chosen female. They are more aggressive than when they are courting. It's a protective instinct that kicks in when they are with their female.

"A male only wants the attention of a female, when they finally select one for courting their beast comes forth to see if the female is right for them. If their beast decides that the female is too weak then there will be no mating, he rejects her. That's why most Inu Youkai will let their beast select the female that they think is their match. Then the male will see if she is suitable to mate. There must be an agreement between the Youkai and the inner Inu in order for them to mate.

"I was surprised that the lord's inner beast finally chose a mate after so long in looking for one. But the news was most welcomed by all here. He kept your presence a secret until you came here. But after he mated you is when his protective instincts kicked in because you were weak. His beast will be more in control during this time and you must be aware of this.

"His beast desires is all that matters to him when it comes to you. If you should fight him on anything, his inner Inu will force you into submission. It's his way of keeping you safe and making sure he provides for you.

"Milady, you are now his sole reason for living at this point in his life, for a long time he has been alone and now he has you to love and cherish. His hopes are for a family to call his own and to have you by his side. If he finds that you are gone when he wakes he will destroy these lands trying to find you. So you can't leave here my milady."

Kagome was shocked, she never knew all of this, but to learn that he will destroy the lands looking for her was unbelievable. If she left then everyone here will be in danger of being killed as he searched for her.

Kagome looked up, her eyes were red from her tears, "I guess… leaving here is out of the question." Kagome sighed deeply as she took a deep breath. She inhaled a wonderful aroma that she has never smelled before.

She opened her eyes again when she noticed for the first time that there was no snow beneath her feet. She was not cold, not by any sense of the word. She looked up as she looked at the surrounding area. She was sitting in the middle of a garden that was in full bloom, in winter?

Kagome was shocked to see this as she turned to Kaito and asked, "Why are there flowers growing here in this garden? They should be asleep during this time of year."

Kaito heard his ladies words, "This garden is the moon flower garden. Many centuries ago this garden flourished under Sesshoumaru's Hiijiji's rule. He was mated to an earth miko and this was the sign of her rule with him. The flowers always bloomed even in the winter. It was a blessing that was bestowed by the Kami's that the moon and earth were now joined together as one and the land will prosper under their rule.

"But an evil Youkai wanted the lady of the lands for his own evil gain. He wanted her power and the chance to rule supreme so he attacked the shiro. Sesshoumaru's Hiijiji fought hard to protect his mate but when they went after her pup she attacked to keep it safe. They finally destroyed the evil Youkai but at a heavy price. The lady of the lands was severely injured and died shortly after.

"When our lady died so did the moon flowers, the connection between the earth and the moon was broken as the land fell into despair. Food was hard to come by and the people were suffering because of it. Sesshoumaru's Hiijiji survived long enough for his son to grow into a great Daiyoukai. He died when he finally passed his rule over to him.

"It wasn't until the night of your mating milady that the moon flowers came back to the castle moon. It is a sign that the moon and earth are now joined again and the land will prosper under your and Sesshoumaru's rule.

"But my question to you milady, are you an earth miko?"

Kagome was listening intently to what Kaito was saying. She was shocked to learn that Sesshoumaru's Hiijiji was mated to an earth miko. Earth miko's have not existed for centuries. There is not much known about them only that they can use the elements of the earth. The earth was her power and she would feed that power back into the earth to help it when needed.

Kagome heard Kaito question as she responded, "I don't know Kaito. I have never been told that I am an earth miko. As a matter of fact I didn't learn that I was the Shikon miko until just recently. So it could be possible, how would I be able to tell?"

Kaito listened as he pondered her question. He had no idea how he could tell if she was the earth miko. He noticed when his lady stood and walked over to the flowers. She bent down as she took in the wonderful fragrance that the flowers gave.

Kagome felt the need to approach the flowers. She was drawn to them for some reason and their scent was heavenly. She reached the biggest flower in the garden, bending down to smell its wonderful fragrance. She was in heaven as she closed her eyes and stood looking into the sky, enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Kaito noticed that his mistress was glowing with an earthy green color. Her aura grew in power as she stood there with her face looking up towards the sky. The moon flowers all turned towards her as they surrounded his lady with their aura.

To Kaito it looked like the flowers were accepting her as their lady of the earth and they became one with her. There was a power transfer as the earthy green took on a more vibrant color.

He noticed her new markings as they were beginning to be tattooed on her wrist, the back of her hands, and around her neck. The tattoo around her neck looked like a necklace with a crescent moon right in the middle of her throat. He also noticed that a white flower was in the middle of the crescent. The moon on her throat was the same color as their lords and it matched perfectly to the one on her forehead.

Finally the power transfer was complete as she turned towards him and said, "Kaito, will you tell me about Inu Youkai nature and what I am to expect from my mate as far as his inner Inu. I want to make sure that I don't anger him. I want a peaceful life with my mate and if I know what to expect then I can act accordingly."

Kaito agreed to Kagome's request as she sat back down and he proceeded to tell her everything that she wanted to know. He would answer questions when she was unsure of what he was saying until he was done.

Kagome took everything that Kaito was saying to heart. She now had a better understanding about her mate and what to expect. Then her stomach growled as she turned red from embarrassment and said, "Please excuse me, the main reason I came out of Sesshoumaru's room was to find the kitchen, I wanted to fix some breakfast and take it back to our room."

Kaito could not believe what his lady was saying, "But milady, we have cooks that will cook anything you wish plus we can have the lord's meal prepared and taken to him."

Kagome smiled as she said, "That all right, I'm used to cooking for myself and to tell you the truth I'm not used to having servants. But why would you take Sesshoumaru's food up to him? I can do it."

Kaito looked at the ground, unwilling to look her in the eyes, "I'm afraid that you will not like the food we will prepare for our lord. It's how a newly mated male eats and it's not something that females like to see."

Kagome was confused as she asked, "What kind of food do you fix for him?"

Kaito did not know how to answer her question, as he got up and started to pace the area. It was something that was done because the male needed the energy to be replaced as fast as possible. He continued to hesitate when he heard a loud growl coming from the female and it was not a very pleased growl.

He looked up and took a step back when he saw the anger in Kagome's eyes. He swallowed hard as he relented and said, "Our lord requires fresh meat and blood in order to regain his strength. Your normal meal will not work for him. It's not a very well-known fact but it is our way."

Kagome paled when she heard what he said. She had no idea that Sesshoumaru consumed fresh meat and blood to regain his strength. She swallowed the bile that was starting to come up as she asked, "How often does he need to consume fresh meat?"

Kaito had to think about this as he said, "At least four times a year. It is part of his beast nature but it is not well known."

Kagome understood what Kaito was saying but before she could reply she felt a powerful aura coming her way. Kagome opened her senses and for the first time noticed all of the Youkai that were around the area. They were far enough away that she did not notice their presence in the area. She turned toward the aura that was coming towards her, she stood as she tried to identify who was coming, when she was swept off her feet and was being held tightly in a strong pair of arms.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was slowly waking up. His senses were telling him that something was missing from his side. The weight that he usually felt on his chest was gone as he slowly opened his eyes.

When his eyes finally came into focus he looked for his mate. When he did not see her in bed with him he quickly sat up and growled viciously. His female was gone from his protection and she was still weak from their mating, he was not happy.

He sniffed the air and noticed that her scent was stale. She has been gone from his side for a while now. His youki went out searching for his mate, while at the same time he was getting up and putting on his hakama.

He finally found his mate and she was outside. There were Youkai surrounding her but they were far away from her location. There was a male with her and this did not sit well with him.

Sesshoumaru took off, racing through the shiro going after his female. He was just a blur of white as all of his servants got out of his way when they felt him coming.

He finally made it outside and made a beeline straight for her. Sesshoumaru saw her standing there with another male as he raced in and scooped her up in his arms. He nuzzled his mate checking her for injuries. He was happy when he did not find any injuries but caught the slight scent of her tears. She has been crying and he turned his attention to the male that was with her, thinking that he was the one that caused her upset.

His eyes turned red with anger, his fangs exploded out of his mouth, growing longer. He was about to attack when he felt his female whimper at him. He looked down and noticed the tears coming from her eyes as he heard her say, "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru."

Kagome knew who grabbed her. She would know those arms anywhere and his growls of pleasure. She felt guilty for leaving him alone for so long in their bed chambers and started to cry.

Sesshoumaru's beast did not know what to do. His female was crying and he had no idea why, then he heard her apologizing and became confused, "Why are you apologizing Kagome? You have done nothing wrong."

Kagome was filled with guilt for all the trouble she has caused. She wrapped her arms around his chest as she continued to cry. They were heart felt sobs that shook her tiny body from its intensity.

Sesshoumaru sat down on the ground with his mate. All thoughts of killing the male with her were gone from his thoughts, as his first concern was for his female. He held her in his arms as he slowly rocked her back and forth. He has not seen her cry like this since the first day they met.

Sesshoumaru continued to hold his mate until she calmed, when he thought that she was calm enough he asked, "Kagome, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Has someone hurt you?"

Kagome snuggled closer to her mate's chest as she heard his questions. She gathered herself as she replied, "I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble. I know that I shouldn't have left your side but I wanted to cook breakfast for my new mate. On my way to the kitchen I overheard several of the servants talking. They are scared of me. They think that I will hurt them like I did that other demoness. I never meant to cause disruption in your household. All I want is to be accepted as your mate. I will never hurt anyone on purpose."

Sesshoumaru growled if he found out who said that about his mate he will personally see to their demise. He never wanted his mate to be upset like this. He looked down and what he saw made his heart ache.

His beautiful mate's eyes were red from all her crying. Kagome was still upset but she was taking comfort from his heat. His growls were soothing her as Sesshoumaru looked up from his mate. He looked at the Youkai that was still there kneeling before him.

He recognized his servant as he heard him say. "Milord, the morning meal is now ready. I know that your mate is hungry, you can either eat in the dining hall or we could bring your food to your bed chambers."

Sesshoumaru's eyes scanned the area as he looked at where he was located. His eyes opened wide when he noticed all the flowers growing in the area. It was in the middle of winter and there were flowers in his garden. _'I remember a story that my father told me from long ago when these types of flowers grew here in the west. My father stated that when my Hiijiji mated his mate, these flowers grew here in the shiro to signify her rule with him. She was said to be an earth miko but no one really knew. They say that she looked like a Youkai.'_

Sesshoumaru looked down at his mate and did not notice any real change to her features. He did notice the crescent moon on her forehead but then he saw some markings on her hands.

He wanted a closer look at them as he grabbed one of her hands and brought it up to his lips. He kissed the back of her hand but at the same time he was inspecting her markings. The markings were vines, with a single white flower on the back of her hand. He has never seen markings like these before. He wondered where else she had them when he noticed something on her neck.

She had the same type of markings there too but in the middle of her throat she had a crescent moon just like the one she wore on her forehead. He had no idea why his mate had these markings but he was going to find out.

He was about to answer his servant when he went stiff. He raised his nose and sniffed the air. He growled as he quickly stood on his feet bringing his mate with him. There were Youkai in the area, and a lot of them. They were currently located near the barrier for the shiro as they were trying to get in.

The barriers were preventing them from entering. He could feel them getting purified as they attempted to bring the barriers down. This surprised him because his barriers never had purifying power before. He was in deep thought when he came to the conclusion that his mate's power was absorbed in the same manner his was to help protect the shiro.

He looked at his servant standing next to him as he growled, "Kaito, I want you to make sure my mate stays safe. We have intruders to the western shiro and I must meet them at the barrier." He went to release his mate but she would not let go of him.

Kagome felt when her mate went stiff and then quickly stood up. She was wondering what was going on. She had no idea what he was talking about but he was about to leave her behind. She tightened her grip on him as she looked up and said, "Sesshoumaru what's wrong? Why are you leaving me here?"

Sesshoumaru noticed the worry in his mates eyes as he stated, "There are intruders to the western shiro. No one may come here uninvited. I cannot let them attack the barriers, continually, or it will weaken them and everyone will be able to see the shiro. The barrier protects the shiro from the outside world and prevents anyone from seeing it. They must suspect that I have mated and they wish to challenge me for my rule. I want you to stay here. You will be well protected from the intruders."

"No! I want to go with you. Please don't leave me behind Sesshoumaru." Kagome exclaimed as she tried to hold on to her mate.

Sesshoumaru was having none of it as he gave her a vicious growl and barred his fangs at her. It had the desired affect as he saw the fear in her eyes. She understood now that she will do as she was told and stay here to be protected.

Kagome let go of Sesshoumaru when she saw the anger in his eyes. He wanted her to stay behind as she saw him turn and walk away from her. Then she saw him leap into the air as he transformed into his true form and took off after the intruders.

Kagome could tell that he was still weak from the mating. He has not fully recovered from it and she was scared of being left alone. She made up her mind as she ran after him. She had to be with him. She was getting this feeling that something was going to happen and she had to be there.

Kagome stopped in her tracks when she noticed a wall of Youkai standing in front of her. The guards around the shiro were taking their job very seriously. They were bound and determined to protect her from harm.

Kagome flared her Reiryoku around her body as she took off running again. She had no desire to hurt the guards but she was determined to go after her mate.

The guards saw their new lady running after her mate, they heard their lord's command and they were determined to protect her. They were blocking her way into the forest when they saw her Reiryoku flare around her body. They were scared, they did not know if she would hurt them for complying with their lord's order. They stood their ground as a powerful force pushed them out of the way and their lady was gone.

The soldiers didn't know what was going on as they took off after their lady. She was moving very fast, faster than most ningens could move.

Kagome was running through the forest. She could sense where her mate was going and she was picking up on the hordes of Youkai that have amassed at the barrier. There were too many for her mate to fight on his own and she had to reach him.

She continued running but the snow was thicker in the forest and it was slowing her down. Her feet were getting cold as she finally came to a stop in the middle of a clearing, collapsing on her knees.

Kagome was breathing hard as she closed her eyes and said, "There is no way that I can reach him in time. I wish I had something that could take me there so I can be with him."

Kagome never noticed but she started to glow an earthy green. Her aura went into the land searching for anything that will help her get to her mate.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. I do hoped that you enjoyed the abbreviated version of the mating. I had to tone it down for this site. If you want to read the full version then you will have to go to Dokuga to read the original lemon I wrote for this story.

The attacks still keep coming and Kagome has to learn how to be Sesshoumaru's mate. It is a learning process for her since she doesn't like killing anything or anyone.

Until the next time.

Jani!


	8. Chapter 8

Not too far away from Kagome there was a dragon that was wondering the cold lands. Its two heads were moving from side to side looking for something to eat. Their favorite food was now gone from the earth as winter was in full force. They, unlike the other dragons, were not carnivores. They were herbivores, preferring to eat sweet grasses and leaves.

The dragon stopped by a tree as one of the heads was looking for a good branch to eat. But before they could find anything to eat they heard something in the forest. The call was so powerful that they couldn't resist, they stopped what they were doing and went to the person that was calling for them.

They traveled fast as they were moving their legs through the air making their way to the one that wanted their help. They finally found what they were looking for as they landed gently on the ground. Nether head wanted to scare the little female that was there as they stood there watching her.

The dragon had no idea who she was but she did call out to them. They were curious as they walked slowly towards the female.

Kagome felt when another Youkai was approaching her. She didn't recognize the aura as she looked up from the ground. She saw a rather large dragon making its way towards her with two heads. She has never seen a dragon before, let alone one with two heads.

She got back up on her feet while she continued to observe what the dragon was going to do. She could tell that it did not want to hurt her as a matter of fact it was curious about her it seemed.

The dragon came to a stop just a few feet away from the little female, they looked at her with curiosity. They could tell that she was the one who summon them here and she was very powerful. They waited there patiently for her to tell them what she wished.

Kagome was confused, the dragon stopped in front of her but it was just staring at her. She reached out with her aura as she gently brushed it against the dragon. She wanted to see if she could communicate with them.

The dragons felt her gentle touch and thought that this was her permission for them to speak. _'We greet you milady, we came in answer to your call.'_

Kagome felt the gentle touch of the dragons mind in her head as her eyes opened wide. She did not believe that they could actually speak to her like this. She was confused at what they said to her, _'You came in answer to my call? But I didn't call for you.'_

The dragon looked at each other as confusion was clearly seen on each of their faces, as they said, _'But… did you not ask to be taken somewhere?'_

Kagome's eyes opened wide with understanding. She must have called out to anything in the area that could take her to Sesshoumaru. At that moment Kagome heard the sound of running feet as the guards from the shiro were chasing after her.

Kagome turned to the dragon in front of her and asked, '_Can you take me to my mate? He went in that direction and I need to reach him.'_ She then pointed in the direction that she wanted to go in and looked at the dragon to see if they will agree to her request.

The dragon looked in the direction their mistress wanted to go and replied, _'Yes, we will take you, milady.'_

Kagome was happy that the dragon would take her to Sesshoumaru as she ran to him to get on.

When she approached she noticed that the dragon laid down so she could climb on his back. She quickly got on as she saw the soldiers coming towards her. She turned her attention back to the dragon and yelled, "Let's go!"

The dragon did not hesitate on her command as they took to the air.

Kagome held on for dear life when the dragon went straight up into the air. She looked down and saw the angry faces of the guards that were after her as they were moving quickly across the sky.

Kagome looked back to the front as she directed the dragon towards her mate. He covered the distance quickly as they landed just a short distance away from the barrier. She kept their aura and scents hidden as she watched what was going on in front of her.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was racing across the sky. The fools that were trying to break down his barriers were in for a big surprise, if they thought that he will be defeated that easily.

Sesshoumaru's beast was struggling to keep his form, he knew that he was still weak and this was not good. He needed to maintain his true form but he did not think that he will be able to for the length of time he needed. He thought about what he should do and came to a decision. He will deal with the one's that ordered the attack. If he defeated them then everyone else will leave his lands.

Sesshoumaru's beast came upon the barrier within minutes. He observed what was going on and spotted the ones that were giving the orders. He stood tall as he walked out of the barriers and appeared to the Youkai that were there.

The Youkai saw the enormous Inu that came out of the barrier. They did not even feel his aura or scent when he came walking towards them with his head held high. The giant beast gave a vicious growl as everyone backed away from the barrier. They all knew that they have angered the lord of the lands.

Sesshoumaru continued walking until he came to a stop a few feet away from the barrier. He transformed back into his normal form in order to conserve his energy. Once he transformed back he stood tall as he faced his opponents, asking with a growl, "Why are you all here? I have not summoned you to the shiro of the west, therefore you are trespassing. Leave before you meet with your demise."

Many of the Youkai in the area left in a hurry. They were not about to risk the lords wrath and die this day. The one's that stayed behind were the most powerful of them as they banded together to attack Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru was pleased that so many left the area but there were still plenty of Youkai that stayed behind to challenge him. He looked at them with blood red eyes as he determined who their strongest fighters will be.

The Youkai that were left were not about to give up their chance on killing the ruling lord. They wish for life to return to the way it used to be before the wars. About ten Youkai stepped forward as one of them yelled, "Lord Sesshoumaru, I believe that congratulations are in order. We all know that you have taken a mate and we wish to see her."

Sesshoumaru growled viciously, "This Sesshoumaru does not take orders from the likes of you. My mate will be presented to all in the lands when the time comes. You, on the other hand, are trespassing and therefore I will take that as a threat to my rule."

The Youkai all opened their eyes when they noticed Sesshoumaru's aura grow in power. They did not expect him to be this powerful. He did not have enough time to recover from the mating. So where is this power coming from?

One of the Youkai noticed a ring that Sesshoumaru was wearing as he nudged the others so they could observe what he did. When they saw the ring it was glowing with power. One of them was bold enough to ask, "Where did you get that ring? That ring has been missing for centuries and they say that it has great powers."

Sesshoumaru sniffed, he was clearly getting tired of all of these questions, "That is not your concern. You will leave my lands immediately or suffer my wrath."

The Youkai had no idea where he got that ring, but it did not matter. They were going to defeat him no matter what. They all attacked at once as they charged toward Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru saw them attacking as he got ready. He leaped towards the attacking Youkai as his golden whip came to life. He lashed out with his whip as he was cutting down rows of Youkai while he headed straight for the leaders.

The Youkai that were in charge of the attack noticed that their men were all falling to the might of Sesshoumaru and decided to attack with their youki. He was still weak from his mating so they should be able to take him down.

They each sent out a blast of their youki, the attacks combined into one to form a very large and powerful attack, that even Sesshoumaru will have a hard time trying to stop.

Sesshoumaru saw the attack heading his way and tried to flare his youki around his body to protect himself, but he did not have enough of his energy back to do so. Then the ring on his finger came to life as it formed a purifying barrier around his person just as the attack hit him.

The Youkai around the area were already celebrating their victory when the attack hit Sesshoumaru. They thought that they have finally gotten rid of the silver Inu that ruled these lands. But their celebration was cut short when the smoke cleared to reveal Sesshoumaru still standing there, very much alive.

Sesshoumaru was surprised that his mate's gift protected him from their attack. He really didn't think that he would ever need her gift but it worked to protect him, and he was grateful for the protection.

The Youkai all took a collective step back when they noticed that the barrier, which was surrounding Sesshoumaru, had a pink hue to it. It was a miko's barrier that protected him from their combined attack. They didn't know what they were going to do next as several Youkai broke off and raced in to attack Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru noticed the new threat coming his way as he pulled his sword from its sheath. He got ready as he engaged his enemy. Sesshoumaru made quick work of his opponents as more Youkai came in to battle him.

The leaders of the Youkai had a plan as they sent their fighters behind Sesshoumaru to attack from the rear, while he was busy with the fighters to the front. They effectively surrounded Sesshoumaru as they made their move to attack.

Sesshoumaru noticed what they were about to do and leaped into the air. He turned his body in a circle as his whip came out and destroyed those that wanted to do him harm. He continued to attack as his strength was slowly being returned to him the more he battled.

Sesshoumaru never noticed the ring on his finger glowing brighter, filling him with the needed power to defeat his enemy.

-oOo-

Kagome got off the dragon so she could observe what was going on. She hid her aura and scent so no one would detect her or the dragon that was with her.

Kagome turned her attention to the dragon, "I want to thank you for bringing me here. I am in your debt. Please, will you not tell me your names?"

The dragons looked at their lady as they answered, _'My name is Ah,'_ said the dragon head to her left. _'And my name is Un,'_ replied the dragon head to her right.

Kagome smiled at the dragons as she said, "Ah-Un I owe you a great debt, name your price."

The dragons thought for a few minutes as they said in unison, _'We are hungry, could you give us some food?'_

Kagome looked to be in thought for a few minutes as she asked, "What do you like to eat?"

'_We both love sweet grasses along with white flowers.'_ The dragons replied.

Kagome nodded once as she kneeled down and concentrated on her powers. She closed her eyes as she mentally said, _'Mother earth, will you help me feed this young dragon? He is hungry and as payment for his help I wish to feed him. I need sweet grass along with white flowers to grow please.'_

Kagome's hand started to glow an earthy green as the area around her hand started to melt the snow. It melted a good portion of the ground around her as the sweet grass and white flowers that the dragon loved to eat grew beneath her. When she was done she opened her eyes and pulled her hand away from the area. She stood on her feet once more as she said, "I hope this is to your liking."

The dragons were happy. They approached as each head bent down and grabbed a mouthful of the grass and chewed happily. It was the best grass they have tasted in a long while as they finally got some food in their empty stomach.

Kagome smiled, happy that she has helped the dragon that helped her. She then turned her attention back to what her mate was doing. She watched with fascination as her mate battled the Youkai that remained behind after his initial declaration.

She watched in awe as she admired his fighting abilities. His muscles rippled as he moved with grace and speed. He was only wearing his hakama, as she saw the muscles on his bare chest ripple when he moved. She watched him twisting and turning as he jumped into the air then came back down to kill his opponents.

She has chosen a male that will truly protect her as she watched everything that he was doing. Every female wanted a male that will protect and love them. They wanted a male that will provide for their well-being and protect any children they had. So many times she has seen the women back home unhappy with their male because they will not protect them if they were in danger. It was hard to find a male with these values. But she was happy that she did.

Her arousal spiked heavily as she got excited just watching Sesshoumaru fight.

Then she noticed what the other Youkai were doing while some of them kept her mate busy. They were coming in from behind to attack him. Her anger flared once more at the cowardly act.

She was about to move in to attack when her mate noticed what they were doing and got out of the way. She did not give her mate enough credit in noticing what his enemy was doing as she continued to watch with fascination. She was so focused on what Sesshoumaru was doing that she never noticed the danger that was approaching her from behind.

-oOo-

The soldiers upon seeing that their lady left the area on a dragon were at a loss for what to do. The majority of them headed back to the shiro but there were a few that stayed behind as they followed after the ningen. They were joined by others from the shiro as they chased after the female. They will not allow her to be mated to Sesshoumaru. No ningen was welcomed here in the shiro of the west.

They traveled as fast as possible as they finally made it to where their lord was battling with the Youkai who wished to enter the shiro of the west. They made the mistake of challenging their lord, thinking that he was weak from the mating but they were wrong. Sesshoumaru was not only protecting his title but he was growing in power as he did.

They looked for the ningen as they noticed her off to the side. She was watching what their lord was doing as her arousal hit their noses. They all knew that a demoness will always be aroused as they watched their mates battle. There was something about seeing their male battle that got them excited with want and desire.

They slowly moved in as a couple of the Youkai pounced on the female. They brought her down with ease as they heard her cry out in pain, while they were subduing her.

Kagome was watching Sesshoumaru battle when she was suddenly attacked from behind. She cried out in anger as someone was holding her down. She tried to flare her Reiryoku but found that she was still weak. She could not bring out her powers as she was still exhausted from her mating. Plus she was supplying her mate with the power needed to defeat his enemy thru the ring he wore. No matter what was happening to her she will never pull her power back from the ring he wore. She would protect him no matter what. This further weakened her so she was at their mercy.

She was struggling in their arms as they got off her back but still held her to the ground. Then she heard, "Now you filthy ningen you will meet your end here and now. We don't need you here in the west soiling our lord's blood.

"Sesshoumaru should have picked a female Youkai for a mate instead of you. But before we kill you, we will sample some of what our lord had on his mating night. You see, your mark will not protect you since Sesshoumaru has not finished the mating ritual."

Kagome's mind was working hard, trying to find a way out of the situation she was in. Then she heard a dragon's roar as Ah-Un moved in to protect her.

Ah-Un was steadily eating the sweet grass that their lady provided for him. They were happily eating when they heard their lady crying out in rage. They looked up and noticed the Youkai that were pinning their lady to the ground.

They roared their challenge as they moved to attack. Their dragon's breath of fire came out of their mouths as they killed a good portion of the Youkai that were around their lady. They also secreted a special liquid that he spread throughout the area marking every Youkai that was attacking their lady. This way if any of them escaped his wrath he would be able to find them.

The liquid was undetectable to other Youkai, only they will be able to smell this scent.

The dragons were attacked from the side as they went down hard, neither of them moving from the impact.

Kagome raised her head as she watched the dragon getting attacked. Tears were coming from her eyes as she murmured, "You bastards! You didn't have to hurt them. They were just trying to protect me."

The Youkai that was behind Kagome heard her words as he said, "They should have stayed out of our way if they didn't want to be attacked. Now to see what our lord has chosen."

Kagome felt when claws were ripping her top off her back. She went stiff underneath them as she tried to get free. She was failing miserably as she thought, _'Oh Kami! How am I going to get out of this? Please, please, help me get out of this.'_

Kagome felt when they picked her up off the ground, they turned her around so she faced her attackers. Her eyes opened wide when she noticed that they were the soldiers from the shiro. They were the ones that were chasing her through the forest as she went after her mate.

Kagome was struggling in their grasp when she felt claws on her chest as they ripped the top off her upper body. Kagome tried to scream as they covered her mouth to prevent their lord from hearing her cry.

The Youkai that were holding her and the one that was in front of her were looking at her with lust filled eyes. She felt hands on her breast as they massaged them to their liking.

Kagome closed her eyes as her tears were going down her cheeks. She was running out of options and soon they will rape her. Kagome opened her mind as she yelled, _'Please, please help me!' _

The markings on Kagome's body were slowly picking up power. The Youkai were so involved in what they were doing that they never noticed what her body was doing. They were about to move her away from this area when the land attacked to protect her.

Vines shot out of the ground as it speared the Youkai arms that were holding Kagome in placed. They yelled in pain as they released the onna and she fell to the ground.

Kagome felt when she was released from their grasp as she fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around her chest to cover her breast. She was crying her heart out as she curled up in a fetal position.

The land was reacting to Kagome's distress as vines started to come out of the ground and encircled her body. It formed a barrier around her with thorns as they protected her from the Youkai.

The Youkai saw what was happening as they attacked the vines. There were thorns on them as they prevented the Youkai from getting close to the ningen. Every time they attacked the vines, they grew back tenfold and then it attacked them. Several of their own died trying to get through the vines.

They heard a howl coming from their lord, the Youkai that were there, left the area quickly before their lord came. He has smelled his mate's blood and he was angered beyond control.

The vines were not about to give up as they attacked the retreating Youkai. Some of them escaped the vines wrath but the majority of them were caught as the vines pierced their bodies, lifting them off the ground, and injecting poison into their bodies. They screamed in pain as one by one they all died.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was busy with the Youkai that were trying to take over his lands when he caught the scent of his mate's blood. She was close and she was being attacked. He realized that he has not finished the mating ritual and his mark will not protect her yet. He needed to wait for her to recover from their mating before he invoked his protection.

Sesshoumaru beast took over as he brought forth his powers. His strength grew tenfold as he stood in front of his enemy and got ready for his final attack. As the Youkai came towards him, he held his sword off to his side. He lunged forward bringing his sword across his body as he released his attack that destroyed everyone in front of him.

Now that the threat to his shiro was taken care of, he took off in the direction of his mate's blood scent and went back into the barrier. When he was on the other side his eyes opened wide with shock.

His soldiers were all dead and they were suspended off the ground by vines. There were soldiers, cooks, gardeners, and servants that were dead on the vines as he snarled looking for his mate.

Then Sesshoumaru noticed as the earth shook and split open. The vines then pulled the dead bodies back into the earth as it closed to the point that you could not tell that it had opened up and swallowed about 40 Youkai.

Sesshoumaru sniffed the air looking for his mate. The air was thick with the scent of death and he was also picking up the pungent smell of poison. He could not tell who else has been in the area and was frantically searching for his mate.

He finally found Kagome's scent, it led towards the pile of vines in the middle of the clearing. His mates scent was strongest in this area as he looked for her. He approached the vines as the ring on his finger reacted with them.

Sesshoumaru immediately noticed when the vines moved. Slowly the vines pulled apart as they slowly went back into the earth. When they were gone he saw his mate on the ground before him, curled up in a small ball and she was crying.

He rushed to her side as he kneeled in front of her. He reached over and grabbed her by the arms to pull her to him, but she reacted violently.

Kagome felt when she was grabbed once more as she became a thing possessed and fought against the person who was holding her. She fought with all her might when she felt fangs on her neck and a purr that she recognized.

Sesshoumaru quickly brought his mate to his chest as he purred for her. He felt her starting to calm down in his arms as she cried into his chest. He noticed right away that her top was missing and this angered him.

His hand was slowly combing through her hair as he asked, "Kagome, what happened? Who attacked you?"

Kagome was finally calming down as she heard Sesshoumaru's questions. She took a deep breath as she said in a shaky voice, "The soldiers from the shiro attacked me. They want me dead so you can pick a Youkai mate. I'm not wanted here and they want me gone from your life."

Kagome remembered something as she pulled away from her mate. She was frantically looking around the area trying to find the dragon. She saw them on the ground not moving as she broke away from her mates embrace and ran towards the dragon.

Kagome kneeled by the dragon and touched each of their heads. Tears were coming from her eyes as she cried for them. The dragon was only trying to protect her when she was attacked. The soldiers from the shiro attacked and hurt them badly but they were still alive. Her hands started to glow blue as she started healing the dragon from his many injuries.

Sesshoumaru was surprised when his mate broke free from his grasp as she raced toward a dragon that was on the ground. He raced after her as he saw her crying over the dragon. He was curious and asked, "Kagome, where did this dragon come from?"

Kagome continued healing the dragon and softly said, "They were the ones that got me away from the guards the first time they tried to attack me. I called for help and they came to my aid. When I was attacked again they tried to help me, they killed some of the Youkai soldier but the soldiers attacked and hurt Ah-Un."

Sesshoumaru now understood as he saw his mate healing the dragon. He noticed the dragon starting to move as he moved in and grabbed his mate. The dragon was disoriented and quickly got to his feet.

Ah-Un quickly woke up from their slumber as he looked for the attacking Youkai. They were worried about their lady as they saw her in her mate's arms and calmed down. They approached slowly as they nuzzled her. She was safe and that's all that mattered to them.

They looked around the area as their eyes narrowed. Some of the one's that attacked their lady have escaped back to the shiro as they growled their displeasure.

Sesshoumaru heard the growl that came from the dragon as he growled, yipped, and barked back to them. The dragon, hearing the demon lords questions, answered, _'There are some Youkai that have escaped back to the shiro. I fear that they will attack our lady again if they are not dealt with. We do not want to see her hurt again.'_

Sesshoumaru understood the dragons concern as he asked, "Can you pick them out if you were near them again?"

The dragons both nodded yes to his question.

Sesshoumaru looked down into his arms as he held Kagome closer to his chest. His tail came up to cover her exposed body as he gently said, "Kagome we must head back. You need new clothes and I still have to deal with the staff at the shiro. This attack cannot go unpunished and they will all learn their place when it comes to you."

Kagome was still in shock as she slowly agreed to his request. She felt herself being lifted off the ground. She sighed in relief as she rested her head against her mate's bare chest.

Sesshoumaru was tired as he looked off to the west wondering if he could make it back to the shiro. He turned as he heard the dragon speaking to him and saw him lay down on the ground offering their back to him for a ride back to his shiro.

Sesshoumaru accepted seeing that he had his mate with him and she was not moving. He was worried about her and he needed to get her back to the shiro as soon as possible. He accepted the dragons offer as he climbed on his back and held Kagome closer to his chest.

The dragon took no time at all to reach his father's home as he landed in the central court yard. Sesshoumaru got off the dragon, saying, "I want you to stay here. I will need you to identify the Youkai that attacked my mate."

The dragon agreed to his request as they walked over to the moon flowers and laid down to rest in that area. They found comfort in that area as they saw the Youkai lord walking back into the shiro.

Sesshoumaru started to walk back into the shiro as he saw Kaito walking quickly towards him. He held his mate closer to his chest as he made sure that he covered her exposed body. He saw his servant come to a stop, worry was clearly marring his features as he asked, "Milord what happened to our lady? Is she hurt?"

Sesshoumaru was not pleased with the turn of events in his own home as he replied, "Kaito, I want every Youkai that lives in this shiro outside in one hour's time. I will return when I have taken care of my mate."

Kaito noticed that his lord did not answer his question. He could tell that he was angry but he bowed, "Yes oh lord, it will be done."

Sesshoumaru walked by him and went straight to his room. Kagome worried him because she has not moved or spoken since they started to come back towards the shiro. He needed to complete the mating ritual and make sure that his mark will always protect her.

He walked into his chambers as he placed his mate on their bed. He turned and locked the doors as he went and got some clothes for his mate to wear. He then striped out of his clothes as he moved towards his mate.

Sesshoumaru reached for Kagome and immediately noticed that she pulled away from his touch. He did not understand what was going on as he thought the worst, _'Has she rejected me as a mate for not protecting her when she was attacked? It is possible and well within her rights to reject me.'_

Sesshoumaru thoughts were way off track as Kagome was thinking, _'Will he still want me now that someone else has put their filthy hands on me? I wasn't strong enough to protect myself and he will think that I allowed those bastards to touch me.'_

Sesshoumaru was not about to let her reject him as he grabbed her and pulled her into his chest. He walked into the bathing chambers and set her on her feet. He moved away from her and then started to take off her clothes. When she would not cooperate he used his claws and got the rest of her clothes off her body.

He could still smell blood coming from her, he needed to see to her injuries as she turned her back to him. He moved forward as he moved her hair away from her back. He was shocked when he saw the claw marks. He also noticed that her markings extended to her back as a lone vine with white flowers was going up the middle of her spine. It was a beautiful mark as he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her off the ground. He will not let her get away from him.

Kagome was scared out of her mind. She did not know what Sesshoumaru will do to her when he saw all of her injuries. She tried to move away from him but he held her tight in his arms, not letting her escape his grasp.

Sesshoumaru noticed that his mate kept her head down, never looking up at him. This more than anything worried him. He loved her beautiful blue eyes, they were very expressive. He took her over to the hot spring as he moved towards the bench that was in the water.

He moved her hair again as he started to clean the blood and dirt out of her wounds. Once he was done he then sealed her wounds as he licked them closed. He was happy once the claw marks were gone and all that was left was just a pink scar that will be gone within the hour.

He turned her around in his arms as he saw her not looking at him. His clawed finger went toward her chin as he raised her head so he could see her. He noticed right away that her eyes were closed as he said, "Kagome, open your eyes for me."

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru's request but she was scared to look at him. She was afraid of being rejected as her emotions were running high. She tried to move her face away from him but his grip was too strong. She had no choice but to open her eyes and stare right back into her mate's worried eyes.

Sesshoumaru saw when his mate opened her eyes as he looked at her intently. He saw pain and worry but most of all he saw fear. She was scared and he did not know why she would be acting this way. "Kagome my mate why are you so scared?"

Kagome's eyes started to water as a tear came down her cheeks. She saw that he was not rejecting her as she saw the concern in his eyes. She gave a soft sob, "I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble. I was afraid that you wouldn't want me anymore because those Youkai touched me. I wasn't strong enough to protect myself and now you have a worthless mate.

"All I wanted was to be accepted as your mate but your people hate me. They don't want me here and they fear me. I never wanted this, all I wanted was someone to love and protect. But instead all I did was give you heartaches and made you worry."

Sesshoumaru had no idea what to do as he heard his mate's words. He leaned down as his lips touched her in a long, passionate, but loving kiss. He poured all of his love into that kiss to reassure her that he still wanted her as his mate. She was unsure and insecure over what happened to her.

Kagome melted into her mate's arms when she felt the powerful kiss that he gave her. It was making her dizzy as he took her breath away. Her worries were unfounded as he desired her to be his mate. He was not upset with her nor did he reject her as she twined her arms around his neck bringing him closer to her.

When he left her lips he went down her neck, he was seeking his mark. Kagome bared her throat to him in submission as his fangs grew and he grabbed her by the shoulder. He noticed right away that the marking around her neck was getting brighter the longer they were pressed together. He needed her right now but he had to make sure that all of her injuries were tended to.

He let go of her neck as he pulled her away from his chest. Kagome tried to protest but it died on her lips as Sesshoumaru snarled at her. Kagome stopped her protest not wishing for her mate to be angry with her.

Sesshoumaru looked down her chest as he spotted several more cuts and took care of her injuries. Once he was done he was free to love his mate. He grabbed Kagome as he stood and walked out of the hot springs. He did not even bother to dry them as he went straight for his bed. He placed Kagome gently down as he captured her lips again in a heated kiss. His hands began to roam all over her body as he was waking up her desires for him.

Kagome was in heaven, her mate was making love to her as her body came alive once more. She had a wicked thought as she got a burst of energy and flipped their position. Her mate was now under her as she pinned him to the bed.

Sesshoumaru was shocked to find himself in a submissive hold. It was a position that he never thought he will ever find himself in. He looked up at his mate as he noticed her eyes. They were the palest of blue as he heard her say, "Now it's my turn. You will keep your promise to me and let me have my way with you."

Sesshoumaru understood her wants and desires. He did promise her anything she wanted and he subdued her on their mating night. "Do as you wish mate."

_**-Start of Lemon-**_

Kagome smiled brightly as she slowly lowered her head and captured his lips. She kissed him long and hard as their tongues battled for dominance. Her hands were equally as busy as they moved down his nice toned chest. His muscles moved under her fingers as she gently caressed each muscle. She found his male nipples, running the tips of her fingers over it as they extended at her touch.

When she lost the battle for dominance in Sesshoumaru mouth, Kagome released him as she continued to leave wet kisses down the side of his face. She found his neck as she suckled there for a few minutes leaving her mark on her mate.

She continued to go down as she found one of his nipples and settled down to give him some much needed attention. She wanted to show him that she loved him with all her heart and that her desires for him were real.

Kagome felt when Sesshoumaru's chest began to vibrate as she suckled on his nipple. It was a sign that he was enjoying what she was doing to him as she switched nipples and gave the other one as much attention as the first.

Sesshoumaru was in heaven his mate was giving him so much attention that his beast was in ecstasy. He was growling his pleasure as his mate went down his body. He knew he did not have much time to let her have her way but he will let her have a little more time before he took over. Plus he was enjoying what she was doing to him.

Kagome continued to show her mate some love as she continued going down his body. She came to his manhood as her tongue started to run around the top. She heard her mate howl as her hand was gently moving up and down his length. She was massaging him as she engulfed him, almost swallowing him whole.

Sesshoumaru was going crazy with want and desire. His mate has her own ideas about what she wanted to do to him. His beast on the other hand was not going to be left out of the fun as his tail went after his mate.

Kagome was on all fours paying attention to Sesshoumaru's manhood. His tail went around the back of her as it sought out her heat. His beast found what he was looking for as the tip of his tail began rubbing their mate making her as wet as possible.

Kagome felt something behind her as she continued to ravish her mate. She felt something soft and warm that started rubbing her. She moaned her delight at what her mate was doing to her as she continued her attention.

Sesshoumaru's beast was not about to give up on what he was doing as he felt her falter in her rhythm. He knew now that he had her as he continued with what he was doing.

It was becoming harder for Kagome to continue her attention as Sesshoumaru's tail kept up his insistent rubbing. She was feeling the knot in her stomach come to life as she was losing control over her action. She felt that she was getting close to her release as she stopped what she was doing to her mate. Her body took a quick down turn as it started to shake violently and she screamed her joy.

Her world went around in a circle as she found herself on her back as she struggled to breathe.

Sesshoumaru, once he knew that his mate reached her end, quickly flipped them as he went for her heat. He was in heaven when her juices went down his throat.

When he was done, he then moved over her body and noticed that she was still breathing hard from her last orgasm. He leaned down and kissed her, while he slowly entered her body, trying to hold on to his instincts.

Once he was fully seated he started to move and was building up their passion for each other. His mate was now able to receive him in this position once he took her the first time.

Kagome wrapped her legs around her mate's waist as she moved with him. She felt that wonderful knot forming once more in her stomach as she felt her mate ravishing her breast. It turned her on even more as she moaned his name in ecstasy.

Sesshoumaru felt that his mate was close to her end as he hurried to join her. He felt her clinch around his manhood and howled his end. His fangs grew longer as he bit down on her shoulder, where his mark was located. He infused her mark with his youki to protect her from harm.

Kagome felt when she came to her end and her mate followed shortly after. She cried out in pain as he bit her shoulder where he marked her before. Kagome's eyes opened wide as they went white. She saw Sesshoumaru's shoulder and bit down hard as she marked her mate in return. A small amount of poison went into his body to protect him from the earth wrath. When she was done she pulled away from him as she slowly licked his wound to heal it.

Sesshoumaru felt when his mate marked him in return. He was surprised that she even did that to him. He felt proud that she would even mark him as her mate. It was her sign that he was hers for all eternity and she will never accept another as her mate.

_**-End of Lemon-**_

They both laid there as they tried to catch their breath. Sesshoumaru pulled away from Kagome as he looked at her. She was sweaty again and he loved it. He growled as he nuzzled her under her neck and licked.

It has been three days since their first mating and the last time she was in heat. She was not pupped. He did not think that he knotted with her because he was busy trying to tie her life to his. If he did not expend so much energy on tying her life to his then he could have pupped her but it was not meant to be this time around. He was disappointed but that did not mean that they would not try again when she came into heat. It just meant that they will enjoy each other a little more before a pup came into their lives.

Sesshoumaru pulled away from her neck as he looked at her. Then he said, "Mate, we must get cleaned up and dressed. I have to address the staff here in the shiro in a short while. Then we can leave this place and go home."

Kagome opened her eyes wide as she said, "Really! We can go home and just be alone, just the two of us."

Sesshoumaru kissed her gently as he pulled away and said, "Yes just the two of us."

Kagome was happy with this news as they both got up and went to get cleaned up. When they went to bathe Kagome noticed for the first time the markings that she held. She saw a vine going around her wrist as a white flower was on the back of her hand. She was curious about them as she reached over and touched one. It was soft to the touch and she wondered where she got them from.

Sesshoumaru noticed what his mate was doing as he came closer to her. He pulled her hand to his lips as he gently licked her markings. It sent a shiver down Kagome's spine as her arousal peek once again.

This did not go unnoticed by Sesshoumaru, he pulled away from her markings as he heard her say, "Sesshoumaru, where did I get these markings? Did I get them when we mated?"

Sesshoumaru looked at his mate, "No Kagome, these are not markings that you acquired during our mating. The mark I gave you is the crescent moon on your forehead to signify that you are my mate and Lady of the Lands, the mark on your shoulder that will protect you from now on. If I had finished the ritual those soldiers wouldn't have been able to touch you. Can you forgive me for not protecting you?"

Kagome was shocked by his words. "Sesshoumaru, my mate, it was not your fault. We were both weakened by our mating and I don't blame you for what happened. But if you didn't give me these marks then where did I get them?"

Sesshoumaru pondered her question as he said, "I really don't know Kagome, when we came up to our chambers after the mating you didn't have them but when I found you out in the gardens you already had these markings on you.

"I have an idea on what they are but I don't know for sure yet. I will have to do some research to be certain. But these are not the only ones you have. You have a long vine going up your back with a lone white moon flower there, and you have another around your lovely neck with a blue crescent moon, it holds a moon flower in the middle of the crescent."

Kagome was shocked to hear this. She will have to look in the mirror to see what he was talking about. They continued with their bathing as she pondered about where her markings came from and if they meant anything.

When they were done bathing they found some clothes to wear and to Kagome's delight she now had shoes that fit her perfectly.

They both walked out of their bed chambers as they headed toward the central gardens. When they walked out they saw all of the servants and guards for the shiro standing there waiting for them.

Kagome moved closer to her mate as her hand reached up and held on to his arm. She tried to hide behind Sesshoumaru but he was having none of it as he pulled her to his side and held her in place.

Sesshoumaru's eyes moved over his servants. He was not pleased that they thought they could do harm to his mate. They will accept his choice or they will die by his hand.

Sesshoumaru saw movement out of the corner of his eye as he tightened his grip on his mate and brought her closer to his side. He turned his head when he noticed that it was Kaito that was quickly walking up to him.

Kaito saw his lord as he quickly made his way towards him. He noticed right away that the female was trying to hide behind her mate and did not want anything to do with them. It hurt him deeply that she was acting this way.

Kaito stopped in front of his lord as he bowed and stated, "Milord, all of the soldiers and servants are here as you requested."

Sesshoumaru nodded to Kaito as he turned to his mate and asked, "Kagome, can you summon the dragon to come here?"

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru's request as she looked up and said, "I don't know if I can. I don't know how I did it the first time he came to me, but I will try."

Sesshoumaru nodded to his mate as he saw her turn and close her eyes. Kagome had no idea how she summoned the dragon in the first place as she remembered what she did before.

Sesshoumaru's eyes opened wide when he saw his mate's aura turn a vibrate green. Within minutes the dragon was at her side as they nuzzled his mate in greetings. Kagome giggled at the show of affection that the dragon was giving her as she scratched their muzzles.

Sesshoumaru turned toward all the servants as he saw them all take a step back. It was as he suspected. No one can summon a dragon. It was not in the dragon's nature to go to anyone who calls for their aid. He started thinking and remembered that there was only one person that could call such an animal, and that was an earth miko. Now he understood the markings that she had. She was the only living earth miko and the Shikon on top of that.

Sesshoumaru noticed that his mate was scratching the dragons muzzle as he said, "Kagome I need Ah-Un help for a minute."

Kagome stopped what she was doing as she heard her mate's request. She stepped away from the dragons as Sesshoumaru said, "Are you ready to show me who was there?"

The dragon heard the demon lords request as they nodded their heads yes. Ah-Un noticed when all of the Youkai started to gather in the gardens. They were laying among the flowers as they moved deeper into the forest. They did not want to be seen as they looked for the one's that attacked their lady.

The dragons found their special scent as they saw the enemy all in one corner of the group, standing together. The Youkai thought that they would be safe but Ah-Un had other ideas as they growled, yipped and snarled back to the demon lord.

Sesshoumaru understood the dragon as he said, "Ah-Un make sure that my mate stays safe. I am leaving her in your care until I deal with this problem."

The dragon was honored that the Youkai lord trusted him enough to leave his mate in his care. They saw their lady moving closer to them as she stood in between the two heads. The heads of the dragon lowered as they offered her comfort and warmth in their heat.

Kagome did not argue when she heard Sesshoumaru's orders. She felt safe with the dragon as she moved closer to the animal. She noticed right away that the heads lowered to either side of her and came closer to her body. She felt the warmth coming from them as she reached out with her hands and started to stroke their long scaly necks. She could have sworn she heard the dragons purr their delight as she turned her attention to her mate to see what he was going to do.

Sesshoumaru walked away from his mate as he descended the front stairs. His eyes were locked on the Youkai that the dragon told him about. He was not about to lose them now that he had them where he wanted.

Sesshoumaru stopped as he looked over the masses in front of him as he spoke, "There are some of you that are of the opinion that this Sesshoumaru has made a mistake in choosing his mate. As you can see she is not only the Shikon miko, but also an earth miko, the same type of miko that ruled here centuries ago when my Hiijiji ruled these lands.

"But where my Hiijiji failed to protect his mate I will not. Hear me and hear me well, my mate is now the Lady of these Lands and she rules with me. Anyone who tries to harm her will suffer my wrath and I will start with the one's that attacked her by the barriers."

Sesshoumaru moved so fast that no one saw where he went until he came face to face with the ones that the dragon pointed out to him.

The Youkai tried to turn and run but a barrier prevented them from going anywhere as they were trapped with the Youkai lord. They have pissed him off by going after his mate and they were about the pay the ultimate price for their audacity.

Sesshoumaru growled, "So you thought that you could kill this Sesshoumaru's mate, leaving me free to mate some unworthy bitch that is not powerful enough to be my equal. You will pay for what you have done and set the example for the rest of the Youkai in the lands."

The Youkai tried to deny his allegations but it was no good. They saw Sesshoumaru's eyes turn blood red from his anger as he narrowed his eyes at them. He raised his claws and then cracked his knuckles, while poison started to seep out of the tips of his fingers. They were trying to leave the barrier when Sesshoumaru attacked.

Sesshoumaru wasted no time in killing all of the traitors in his home. Once he was done he leaped back to the front as he stated, "Is there anyone else who wishes to tell this Sesshoumaru who he should mate?"

When Sesshoumaru did not see anyone protest his choice in mates he turned and said, "Kaito."

The elderly servant quickly went to his lord, "Yes milord? What is your desire?"

Sesshoumaru turned to him and said, "The shiro is under your care once again. I am leaving with my mate. The next time I come for a visit and this happens it will be your death."

Kaito shook in fear for he has never been threatened by their lord before. The only one that their lord usually threatened was Jaken and that was only because he got on the lords nerves. "I understand milord."

Sesshoumaru turned as he walked back to his mate. He saw her with her back to him as she looked like she was crying. He sighed Kagome has to learn what it means to be his mate. He will do anything, to make sure that she stays safe.

Sesshoumaru finally reached his mate and when he was about to call her to him she turned and ran straight into his arms. She was not crying she was scared. The scent of her fear was almost over powering his senses as he asked, "Kagome, why are you scared?"

Kagome saw what Sesshoumaru did to the Youkai that attacked her out in the forest. She had to close her eyes and turn away from the grizzly scene. She was now scared to stay in this place because now the servants will try harder to kill her. She needed advice and there was only one person that she trusted enough to talk to. But that will have to wait until she went back to the city.

Kagome felt when Sesshoumaru came back to her as she turned and ran into his arms. She felt the safest in his arms as he held her closer to his chest. She heard his question as she responded, "I just want to go home. Please let's leave this place."

Sesshoumaru understood what his mate wanted. He turned his attention to the dragon as he said, "Ah-Un you are welcomed to stay here if you wish. I will have the servants take good care of you. You are still a very young dragon and have not reached maturity as of yet. You will have a safe haven here with plenty of food."

Kagome heard what Sesshoumaru was saying as she turned in his arms and said, "Ah-Un if you stay here there will be plenty of sweet grass that will grow near the moon flowers. You will be the only one allowed to go near them. I would like it if you were here when I came back for a visit."

The dragon heard the Youkai lord's request and offer. They were thinking about his offer as they heard their lady's words. The dragon growled toward the Youkai lord as they stated in unison, _'Can we not go with you to protect our lady?'_

Sesshoumaru responded back, _'No you can't. I have no place to keep you while we are in the city. I will be afraid that someone will hurt you and then my mate will be saddened by this since she has taken a liking to you.'_

The dragon thought about this as they said, _'Very well we will stay here for now but once we have come to maturity then the rest of our powers will be released and we may join you. No one will be able to see us and we will be able to guard our lady better. We have sworn our loyalty to her and we will protect her and her pups with our life.'_

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear this but he knew that a dragon's loyalty was a precious thing. They will protect his mate with their life if they had to. Sesshoumaru agreed as the dragon left and went back to the area where the white flowers grew and started to graze on the sweet grasses.

Sesshoumaru then turned his attention to his mate as he asked, "Are you ready to go home?"

Kagome was happy that the dragon was staying at the shiro. She didn't want him to wonder around the forest all by himself. The sweet grass here will provide him with food for the winter and she will have something to look forward to when she came here. She heard Sesshoumaru's question to her as she looked up and said, "Yes."

Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around his mate as he formed his golden orb of light. It hovered for just a second as it left the western shiro behind.

The servants all stood there as they all breathed a collective sigh of relief. They didn't know if they were going survive this day.

Kaito watched with sad eyes as the lord left with his mate. He was ashamed to be a Youkai at the moment. His kind has treated his lady harshly and it was not right. She only wanted to be accepted and his kind rejected her because she was a ningen. Plenty paid the price here today for defying their lord's desires.

He turned as he went back into the shiro. He had a lot of work to do before the lord returned with his mate. He knew they will be back soon because their lord had to formally introduce his mate to the rest of the Youkai community. He had to make sure that the shiro was prepared for that day.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru traveled fast through the sky. He was making good time going home but he knew that he will not make it all the way to Tokyo. He was still weak and has not recovered all of his strength yet. He was heading for his country estate which was closer. They could rest there for the night and they will be safe.

Kagome noticed that her mate was weakening. She knew that he still needed to rest but he was as stubborn as she was when it came to doing what was right. She closed her eyes as she wrapped her mate in her aura and gave him her strength.

They were moving faster now. Sesshoumaru noticed that he was getting more power from somewhere as he opened his eyes and saw that his mate was linked to him. She was sharing her powers with him to ensure that they made it to their destination.

Sesshoumaru traveled quickly as he made a beeline straight to his bed chambers. When he landed and his golden orb disappeared, Kagome fainted in his arms. He picked her up as he staggered towards their bed. Sesshoumaru was feeling very weak as he was finally able to put Kagome down and crawl into bed with her. He pulled her closer to his chest before he passed out.

-oOo-

Kagome stirred hours later as she moaned and rolled over. She noticed that she hit something hard as she slowly opened her eyes. All she saw was white as she furrowed her eyebrows together. When her eyes came into focus, she noticed that she was staring at her mate's chest.

Sesshoumaru had his arm around her waist but it was loosely placed. Kagome had no trouble getting out of his arms as she sat up in bed. She looked around the room and noticed that they were at his country home, where they first met. It was cold in the room as she walked over to the fireplace and started a fire in the hearth.

Kagome then walked over to her mate and looked at him. He did not even move when she got up. Now she was worried about him, he was weak and she knew what he needed. Kaito told her that he needed fresh meat with blood in order to help him recover from their mating and he did not have enough time to consume the amount required.

Kagome left their bedroom as she went down to the kitchen. She was on a mission to find her mate the food he needed to recover. Kagome looked all over the kitchen but could not find anything that she wanted for her mate. The only thing that she could think of was to go out and hunt for what he needed.

Kagome ran out of the kitchen as she searched the area around the house. She saw some buildings off to the right as she ran in that direction. She opened the door to one of the small sheds as she stepped in. The only thing she found there was the garden equipment as she turned and ran to the next shed.

Kagome opened the door to that one but before she walked in, she thought she heard the sound of animals. She stopped as she listened to see if she could find its source. She saw a bigger building a short distance away as she ran in that direction. She entered the building and her eyes opened wide. There were pigs, cows, horses, chickens, ducks, all manner of livestock in the building.

She was breathing hard as she yelled, "Is there anyone here who can help me!" These animals had to be taken care of while Sesshoumaru was not here. Kagome heard a noise off to the side as she turned and noticed a Youkai coming into view. He was an elder one and she thought that he might be a Kitsune.

She took a deep breath as she quickly made her way over to him, asking, "Excuse me please, but are these animals here for Sesshoumaru to eat?"

The Kitsune that was taking care of the animals was scared out of his mind when he heard a female's voice. He quickly turned around when he noticed a ningen coming towards him. He heard her question as he said, "Why do you want to know that?" But as he finished his question he noticed the markings on the female. She had the crescent moon on her forehead signifying that she was Sesshoumaru's mate.

He quickly kneeled as he said, "Please forgive me milady. Yes, yes these animals are for our lord to consume. May I know, why you are asking?"

Kagome was relieved to hear this as she said, "Sesshoumaru is in need of fresh meat and blood. Can you kill me a good size boar? I need to take it to Sesshoumaru so he can eat it."

The Kitsune quickly agreed as he found a good size boar for his lord. He must be weak if his female is out here wanting meat for him. He could tell that the female was freshly mated and was still weak from it but she still had enough power to kill him if he made her angry enough.

Kagome watched as the Kitsune selected a good size boar and killed it instantly. He grabbed a bucket as he caught the blood that came from the wound in its throat. She then watched as he skinned and cut the meat up in pieces and put it in a big white plastic basket. He offered to carry the meat back for her as she rushed behind him.

Once in the kitchen the Kitsune placed the meat on the counter as he turned to his lady and said, "Milady, this fresh meat will only last one day. The blood must be consumed during this time as well. Our lord should have no problem eating all of this meat which will give him back his strength."

Kagome smiled as she said, "Thank you for your help. May I have your name?"

The Kitsune turned back to her as he said, "My name is Chechen, milady."

"Thank you Chechen for your time and effort. I can take it from here." Kagome responded as she set about looking for something to put Sesshoumaru's meal in.

Chechen bowed as he left the kitchen, this female was strange, she thanked him like he was her equal and it was very refreshing. He left the kitchen as he returned to his duties.

Kagome was looking around the kitchen to see if she could find something else that she could put the meat into. She finally found a big bowl that was oblong but deep as she set about cutting the meat into smaller chunks, she put it all in this big bowl and when she was done she then added the blood. She looked around the kitchen for some spices as she found what she was looking for.

She grabbed several different spices and sprinkled some in and then took her hand to stir it all up. Once she was done she washed her hands and took the bowl upstairs to her mate. She will come and get something to eat after she made sure that her mate was taken care of.

The bowl she was carrying was very heavy. She had no idea how much meat she was carrying but at the moment she found the strength to make it upstairs. She opened the bedroom door and stepped in. She looked for a table and found the perfect one right next to the bed.

Now for the hard part, she has never woken her mate up before. He was always awake before her or he will wake up when she was away from him. She crawled back into bed with Sesshoumaru as she nuzzled him under his chin and licked his neck.

She wanted his attention when she noticed that he was not responding to her. She licked his ear as she said, "Sesshoumaru, please wakeup for me."

Kagome was starting to get worried, her mate was not responding to her caresses or her call. A tear fell down her cheek as she was nuzzling her mate trying to get him to wake up.

Sesshoumaru nose twitched when he picked up the scent of salt water. His mate was crying and was trying to wake him. He was so tired that all he wanted to do was just sleep. Then his nose started to pick up the scent of blood. Thinking that his mate was hurt his eyes snapped open as he quickly sat up, knocking his mate off him.

Kagome landed with a thud on the bed. Sesshoumaru woke up so fast that he threw her off of him. But there was a problem, she bit her lip in the process and now she was bleeding very badly.

Holding her hand to her mouth to keep from getting blood on the blankets, she started to get up so she could go and get cleaned up. She was grabbed from behind and found herself sitting in Sesshoumaru's lap.

Sesshoumaru noticed that he knocked his mate away from him. He was surprised that she was so close to him, but more importantly he smelled her blood. He hurt her as he grabbed and place her in his lap, trying to move her hand away from her mouth.

Sesshoumaru saw as Kagome shook her head no and tried to leave his lap as he said, "Let me look at your lip Kagome."

Kagome heard his words as she moved her hand away from her face.

Sesshoumaru saw where she had bitten her lip as he leaned down and licked at her wounds. He healed her wounds and her blood was heavenly on his senses. When he was done he pulled away from her as he asked, "What is it Kagome? Why did you wake me?"

Kagome blushed as she said, "I brought you something to eat. I know that you still need to rest to recover from our mating but you fought that battle today and you are not fully recovered. I want you to eat and then go back to sleep."

Sesshoumaru sniffed the air and picked up on the blood scent again. He looked over to his side as he saw a big bowl sitting on the table. He released his mate as he slowly got up and walked over to the bowl and looked into it. He was surprised to see fresh meat and blood there for him to consume as he turned to his mate and asked, "How did you know that I require fresh meat to regain my strength?"

Kagome sighed as she said, "In the short period of time that I was in your father's shiro I was able to talk to Kaito. He explained a few things to me that was of the Inu Youkai nature. You should never be afraid to tell me that you require this kind of meat. I will do anything to make sure that you are fed properly."

Sesshoumaru was shocked that she knew so much about Inu Youkai nature. She knew exactly what he needed in order to get stronger. His inner Inu was trying to get free as the fresh blood was calling to him. He turned his attention to the food as his beast came forth to feed.

Kagome was happy that her mate was eating. She slowly walked out of the bedroom as she went back downstairs to make herself some food. She was hungry and wanted to get something to eat.

Sesshoumaru beast finished eating as he was cleaning himself up. He turned as he looked for his mate but she was gone from the room. His food this time was delicious as his mate did something to his meal that made it taste better.

Once he was done cleaning himself he went looking for his mate. He scented the air as he went straight for the kitchen. He found his mate fast asleep in her chair at the table. He could tell that she has eaten and with a full belly she fell asleep.

Sesshoumaru picked her up in his arms as he went back upstairs to his room. He put his mate back into their shared bed, as he proceeded to take off their clothing. Once they were both comfortable, he crawled in after her. Pulling her closer to his body he finally relaxed and fell asleep once again.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Things are going to get more complicated as Kagome settles into her new life.

Some of you are very cleaver in trying to figure out where my story is going. Some of you have the right ideas. But this particular story is full of lemons. Sorry but my mind went into slut mode when I wrote this story so the editing heavy for fanfiction but if you want to read the full version of the lemon then go to Dokuga, on that site is where I have posted the original lemons.

In the next chapter Kaede comes into the picture as Kagome's grandmother, and this is all I will say on this chapter.

Until the next time!

Jani!


	9. Chapter 9

The wind was howling around the mansion as the temperature dipped even further. The snow on the ground was slowly moving as it drifted toward the forest. The wind on occasion will whip around making the snow go around in circles as it was picked up by its force. Tiny funnels could be seen, like a small tornado, as the snow rose up into the air and then fell back down when it stopped.

There were no animals around the area as they all settled down to rest for the night. But a lone figure could not sleep and she was in the dojo in the main house.

Kagome woke up in the middle of the night with Sesshoumaru laying right behind her. She could not sleep any more as she slowly got up and decided that she needed some time alone to think.

There were a lot of questions that was weighing heavily on her mind as she tried to sort everything out. She put on some sweats and decided to go down to the dojo that Sesshoumaru had in his home. There she will be alone to think and she would not wake her mate so he could recover from their mating.

Kagome finally made it down to the dojo as she walked into the middle of the room and sat down on the padded floor. She crossed her legs in front of her as she placed her hands on her knees and started to mediate.

Kagome found that when she mediated she was able to clear her mind so that she could make decisions on what she should do. She closed her eyes and started. Slowly Kagome's body relaxes as she finds her center. Then she brings each question into her mind as she tries to find solutions for them.

Soon Kagome grew frustrated because instead of figuring out the answers to her questions she came up with more questions to the problems at hand. She still could not understand why the Youkai community did not like her. She wanted to know why they went through such lengths to kill her the first time she was to mate with Sesshoumaru.

Kagome could not accept that the prejudice between the Youkai and the ningens went that far back. There had to be a time when the ningens and Youkai both lived together in peace. There was something else that the ningens and Youkai were after and one way or another she was going to find out the answer to her questions.

From what she knew, history was riddled with mixed marriages between Youkai and ningen. Though she knew that ningens, in general, were distrusting individuals, because what they could not explain they feared. But still even with all of this, there was something that she was missing, and as she thought about her questions, she was beginning to get a headache from all her thoughts.

She opened her eyes and sighed heavily, frustrated with not being able to find the answer to her questions she stood. She looked around the dojo and found practice weapons on one side of the dojo, she went and got one so she could use. She chose a long stick which was the same length as a spear. There was a mannequin there that she could use as a target and walked to its location.

She noticed all the claw marks that the mannequin had and figured that Sesshoumaru used it as a target as well. She got ready as she spun the weapon around her body and went into a routine with it. She hit specific places that were the pressure points to anyone's body. She was fast and precise with her hits.

Her body came alive with power as she continued to attack the mannequin. Her powers were growing fast, seeping out of the dojo to expand around the mansion, she was starting to demolish the mannequin with her swift moves and powers.

The whole time Kagome was practicing with her weapon she kept on thinking back to the battle that Sesshoumaru fought. He was powerful as she remembered his body moving across the field, muscles rippling under his skin as he battled to protect her. She was getting excited and she was becoming aroused.

She didn't know why she was feeling this way. He aroused her like nothing she has ever experienced before. She loved to watch him battle and she was getting sexually frustrated with her thoughts.

Kagome stopped her attacks, she was panting hard from what she was doing. She fell to her knees, _'What is wrong with me? Why am I feeling this way? It's not the first time that I have seen a male fight. It has never affected me this way before. So why is it that every time I think about Sesshoumaru in that battle, my lower regions aches to be with him? Kami I'm getting all wet just thinking about him.'_

Kagome groaned, she knew that she will have to take care of her problem and soon. It would not do for Sesshoumaru to wake up to find her like this. She could not go to him because he was still exhausted from the day's battle. He used a great amount of his energy and she wanted him to rest.

Kagome decided that she needed relief as she sat down on the floor and slowed her breathing. She spread her legs slightly as her hand slipped inside her pants and panties, looking for the little numb that will take her into ecstasy. She was extremely wet just thinking about Sesshoumaru. Her clit was engorged with blood and it was very sensitive to the touch.

Slowly her finger moved over her clit as she found the pleasure she was seeking. Her thoughts were on her mate as she pleasured herself. Her finger was going around in circles as she was getting wet from her desires. That knot in her stomach was slowly building, she was breathing hard, and she was almost to her end. Right before she found her release she was tackled from behind and pinned to the ground.

When Kagome opened her eyes she found the object of her desire there on top of her with blood red eyes. He was angry and she didn't know why.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru bolted awake from a deep sleep as he felt his mate's power growing. Her aura was spreading around the mansion as he reached out to her. He did not feel anyone near her and he was wondering what was wrong.

Sesshoumaru got out of bed and noticed that it was still in the middle of the night. The three quarter moon illuminated the area as the wind was howling outside.

He left his room as he went after his mate. He wanted to know why she was up so late at night. He found her in the dojo as he slowly opened the door and walked in. His mate was actually battling the mannequin that he had there and she was doing very well in where her hits landed. Her hits were deadly and on several occasions she would have killed her opponent if the mannequin was alive.

But there was something going on with his mate. She was training but she was also deep in thought. She was thinking about someone as he started to pick up on her arousal. He had no idea what she was thinking about that would get her this excited.

Sesshoumaru's beast was responding to his mate as he growled low in his throat. He continued to stand there and watch when he saw her stop and fall to her knees. Then she did something that angered his beast as she sat down and started to pleasure herself.

This will not due. He was the only one that will give her such pleasures as her scent spiked heavily. He could tell that she was almost to her end as he rushed in and pounced on her.

He pinned her to the floor as he growled dangerously. He was mad that she would not go to him for relief, it was his job, as her mate, to make sure that she stayed satisfied.

He barred his fangs as he got his mates attention, while lowering his head, nuzzling her. Her scent was heavenly and he could tell that she was in pain. She did not finish what she was doing and she was not happy.

Kagome felt when Sesshoumaru nuzzled her. She was in pain and voiced, "Sesshoumaru! What the hell are you doing? Why didn't you let me finish?"

Sesshoumaru snarled at her, "Why didn't you come to me with your desires? It's my job to make sure that you stay satisfied. You are not to pleasure yourself ever again or your punishment will be severe!"

Kagome heard his words as tears formed in her eyes. She turned her head as she whispered, "I can't do anything right. I didn't want to wake you with my desires. I wanted you to get your rest so you can get stronger. Now you're mad at me again."

Sesshoumaru was blown away by her statement. She didn't want to come to him because she wanted him to get stronger. He saw her tears as he gently licked them away. "Kagome," he whispered into her ear as he continued, "You should never worry about waking me if you are in pain. I enjoy giving you pleasure and tending to your needs. But what I want to know is what were you thinking about that got you so aroused?"

Kagome blushed as she heard his question, she didn't know if she should answer that. She looked into Sesshoumaru's eyes as he waited for her to answer him, she sighed deeply, "I was thinking about the way you were fighting today. The way your body was moving on the battlefield as you floated with grace and beauty."

Sesshoumaru noticed right away that Kagome's scent spiked heavily as she was thinking about his battle today. _'She is aroused by my fighting skills. I can tell that she enjoyed watching me battle to protect her.'_

Sesshoumaru was pleased with his train of thought. It was a males pride to show off in front of his female and know that she admired his body and fighting skills, while he protected her. He went after her neck as he started to lick his mating mark.

Kagome was getting extremely aroused again as she tried to keep control but she was slowly losing her fight as Sesshoumaru was licking her neck. Her body shivered as he went behind her ear that was very sensitive, while he growled gently at her.

_**-Start of Lemon-**_

Kagome never noticed when she lost her clothes as Sesshoumaru was moving over her body. She was hot with desire as she rolled and found herself on top of her mate. She kissed him hard while her desire for him grew.

She released his lips and went lower. She found what she was looking for and almost swallowed Sesshoumaru whole. She was moving very fast, as her desires consumed her. Then in one swift move she was sheathed fully as Sesshoumaru howled his pleasure.

Sesshoumaru had no idea what came over Kagome but he was not complaining. Her passion was ignited while she started to move slowly. She sat up straight as she rolled her hips. It was slowly making Sesshoumaru loose his control over his beast.

Sesshoumaru was slowly losing his battle and let go of his passion for his mate. Kagome having felt Sesshoumaru about to let go, was all she needed to reach her end, and came hard. Her mate followed closely behind her as his body shook from the intensity of his orgasm.

Kagome was breathing hard but she was still not satisfied as she got off her mate. She moved off him and stayed on all fours while she crawled away from him. When she was far enough away from Sesshoumaru she wiggling her hip from side to side, Kagome was inviting her mate to mount her.

Sesshoumaru eyes bled red when he saw his female. She was still not satisfied and wanted more. Her submission to him caused his beast to come forth as his eyes turned white. Having his female moving her hip from side to side made his blood boil as he pounced on top of her.

Sesshoumaru caged her small form under his great stature and grabbed her by the back of her neck. He moved into position as he entered her again, impaling Kagome.

Kagome purred her delight when he started to move. She was moaning her pleasure, but he was moving too slow for her liking, and said in a heated voice, "Faster! Harder! Go faster please, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru complied with his bitches request as he lowered the upper portion of her body to the floor and kept her rear end up. He pounded into her going deeper into her body, while her excited mewls caused his beast to take full control.

Sesshoumaru's beast was ready to join the fun. His bitch was acting like she was in heat and it caused him to lose control. He came forth in a rush of power while he grew in size and length. He was going deeper now and his bitch was in heaven.

He had a firm hold of her by the back of the neck while he pounded into her wonderful warm body. Soon he felt her coming to her end as he hurried to join her.

Kagome was losing her battle to maintain control, while Sesshoumaru's beast grew, not only in body but in length. He became so large that they became locked together as he howled his achievements, and his mate came hard right after him.

Kagome past out in her mates arms. Her desires finally satisfied she rested peacefully in Sesshoumaru's arms.

Sesshoumaru noticed that his mate fell unconscious from her passion. He finally sedated her desire for him and he was pleased. He was now licking the back of her neck as he soothed her in her sleep. His hands were going all over as he gently caressed her shapely figure.

Soon Sesshoumaru was relaxed enough to pull out of their mate. He laid her across his arm as he transformed into his true form. The dojo was big enough to accommodate him as he looked down with blood red eyes.

Kagome was resting on his front leg, she was currently rubbing her face into his fur, as he growled at her actions. She seemed to settle down as she finally fell into a deep sleep. Sesshoumaru brought his tail around as he covered her up for the night. He put his head down as he rested with his mate. He was happy that he had her with him as he continued to growl softly for her.

_**-End of lemon-**_

Sesshoumaru was slowly opening his eyes. He felt when his mate was waking from her night of passion as he raised his head to look at her. He noticed that she was running her fingers through his fur. She was laying on her stomach as he saw her in all her glory.

He could not resist as he lowered his head and started to lick her backside, bathing her with his tongue. She tasted wonderfully, hearing a soft mewl coming from his mate, he continued with what he was doing.

Kagome woke to the feeling of sleeping on something very soft. It was warm and very comfortable. She moved her fingers as she felt fur underneath her. She liked the feeling of this fur, it was very soft and velvety to the touch as she ran her fingers through it.

Then she felt something long and wet going up her backside. It would start at her feet and would end by her shoulders. She knew that she should be grossed out by it but she felt comforted by the touch. Plus she liked it.

She moaned softly, slowly opening her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that it was all white around her. Then she felt that something warm and wet was going over her body again, as she shifted. She raised her upper body and brought her legs underneath her. Her knees were on either side of her hands that was resting in front of her as she straddled the fur she was on.

She was disoriented as she closed her eyes trying to wake her body up. But soon she found herself being pinned back down on her back.

When she looked up she saw her mate, he was in his true form and he was licking her body. She saw the contented look on his features and wondered why he would be so happy. Then she felt his cold nose touch her stomach as she shrieked and tried to get away from him. His nose felt like ice and she was not about to let him touch her again.

Sesshoumaru's beast was having fun. He nuzzled their mate with his nose, knowing full well that it was very cold to the touch. He has been licking his nose to make sure it stayed wet and got cold for his plan.

He then rubbed his nose on her stomach and heard her shriek from what he did. He chuckled and then licked her front side with his tongue. His tongue brushed against her womanhood and it sent his senses wild with passion, while he growled his pleasure.

Kagome stilled when she felt him touch in a very sensitive area. She groaned and let him have his way with her. Then all too soon he stopped what he was doing as she opened her eyes and looked at him.

Sesshoumaru beast was looking at her with love in his eyes. She smiled beautifully for him as he brought his nose down but this time to her side. Kagome reached out with her hand as she gently caressed him. She kissed him gently on his nose as she said, "Thank you Sesshoumaru, can you return to your normal form?"

Sesshoumaru's beast complied with her wishes as he started to glow brightly. Kagome had to close her eyes and within minutes she felt arms around her body as she was pulled into a nice warm chest.

Kagome opened her eyes and looked up. Sesshoumaru was now back in his normal form as she brought her arms up and hugged him closer to her. She nuzzled him under his chin and said, "Thank you Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru did not know why his mate was thanking him but he was happy with her cuddling his chest. He stood as he brought Kagome's naked form with him. He wrapped his tail around her body, stating, "Come mate, let's get cleaned up."

Kagome agreed as Sesshoumaru took them back up to their room. They bathed together and gave each other pleasure. An hour later they left their room fully sedated and content with each other.

They were sitting down eating when Kagome looked up from her food and asked, "Sesshoumaru, are you fully recovered? Do I need to go down and get some more fresh meat for you?"

Sesshoumaru looked at his mate, he could tell that she was worried about him, "No mate, I have fully regained my strength. I won't need fresh meat for about 3 months."

Kagome was happy to hear this, she was worried about him being weak and not getting the proper food so he could regain his strength. But she was wondering if he would be willing to go back to the city? She really needed to talk to her baa-chan. She was nervous as she said in a shy voice, "Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru eyed his mate with interest. She was worried and he was wondering what she wanted to ask him that she was having trouble just saying what she desired. He cocked his head to the side in a curious manner as he asked, "What is it Kagome? Is something wrong?"

Kagome gathered her courage as she asked, "Um, Sesshoumaru? Can we go back to the city? There is someone that I want to visit."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at his mate as he asked, "You want to go visit your mother mate?"

Kagome became angry as she said, "No, I don't want to talk to my mother right now. I'm still mad at her for what she said to me the night of our ceremony. I want to go see my Baa-chan. I have some questions that I need to ask her and she is the only one who will be able to answer them. She was the one who trained me in the first place and I want to find out what exactly has happened to me."

Sesshoumaru understood what his mate was saying as he reached over and grabbed her hand, "Yes mate, we can go back to the city, if that is your desire. I also would like to know what all of your markings mean. I have a theory but it will take time for me to research the answer. If she can shed some light on what is going on then we should definitely pay her a visit."

Kagome was happy to hear this and leaned over to kiss her mate. Soon she found herself in his lap while her arms went around his neck to deepen the kiss. She was in heaven, she was lost in her passion for the male that she has chosen as her mate.

Sesshoumaru's hands were moving over Kagome's body, bringing her closer to his chest. He growled low and steady just enjoying her touch. Her fingers having found the back of his neck were currently scratching that area. He has been gifted with his mate. She was a passionate creature and did not mind showing her love for him.

He noticed that she needed a lot of contact and she responded as a female Inu would. She cared deeply for him and would make sure that he was well fed and cared for. Soon they had to part for lack of air as they were both panting with want and desire. If they kept this up they will never leave his mansion to go back to the city.

Sesshoumaru caressed her cheeks with his as he whispered, "Kagome, if we continue with this we will never leave here. If you want to go back to the city I suggest that we leave this for later tonight."

Kagome heard what Sesshoumaru was saying and she agreed. She really needed to find out why she was acting like this. It was a deep desire that she had for Sesshoumaru and she could not get enough of him.

Kagome smiled and said softly, "Ok Sesshoumaru, we need to leave but tonight we will continue this." She gave him a long wet lick under his chin as she felt him shiver from what she did to him. A low and deep growl left his chest as he agreed with his mate.

Kagome got off Sesshoumaru's lap and set about cleaning the kitchen from their morning meal.

Sesshoumaru just sat there watching her, as he was deep in thought. _'She is so beautiful and caring. She was worth the long wait that I had to endure to find her. I will make sure that she stays safe. Once the Youkai community finds out that I have mated they will be after her. Many will accept her, but I do have many enemies and they might hurt her to get to me.'_

Sesshoumaru was brought out of his musing by his mate approached. She was done cleaning the kitchen as they got ready to leave. Once Kagome was wearing warm clothes they left the safety of Sesshoumaru's home as he formed his golden orb of light and took off to the city.

They traveled in silence as they held on to each other. When they were approaching the city Kagome directed Sesshoumaru to her Baa-chan home. They traveled south to the out skirts of the city as they were approaching a lone house in the middle of a field near the forest.

Sesshoumaru landed gently on the ground as his golden orb of light disappeared from sight. Kagome was by his side as they walked toward the house.

Kagome was getting excited in seeing her Baa-chan again. It has been a while since she has seen her and she was happy to visit. But before they reached the door, it opened, and an elderly lady came out of the house, with a patch over her right eye. Though her eyesight was failing her she could recognize her granddaughter's aura anywhere, but she was not alone.

The old woman smiled as she said, "Kagome my child, I'm happy to see you again, what brings you all the way out here?"

Kagome broke away from Sesshoumaru's hold as she raced into her Baa-chan arms. They both embraced as she whispered into her ear, "I'm so happy to see you Baa-chan, I have missed you so much."

When they pulled apart from each other Kagome turned to her mate, "Sesshoumaru, let me introduce you to my Baa-chan, Kaede. Baa-chan I want you to meet my husband, and life mate, Sesshoumaru."

Kaede only eye widen when she heard what Kagome was saying, she turned to the male that was with Kagome as she bowed low and said, "Greetings oh Lord of the Lands, you honor this one by coming to her home."

It has been a long time since Sesshoumaru has heard such a formal greeting being given to him. Yes he was Lord of the Lands but here in the city he kept a low profile and no one really showed him that much respect, and he preferred it that way, he hated formalities. He inclined his head slightly as he replied, "The honor is mine Kaede-san. My mate wished to see you because she has many questions that only you can answer."

Kaede turned to Kagome and asked, "Oh, well lets go inside and have some tea, then I will see if I can answer all of your questions Kagome."

The group turned as one as they went inside the old house. They were sitting around the table as Kaede poured the tea for all of them. When she was done she asked, "All right child, what are your questions?"

Kagome took a deep breath to calm herself as she asked, "Baa-chan, I recently found out that I am the Shikon miko why didn't you tell me that I was?"

Kaede sat back, eyeing her granddaughter as she slowly said, "Kagome there are things that I know that I can never reveal, and telling you that you were the Shikon miko was one of them.

"I have known since the day you were born who you were and what your past was. I wanted to give you as normal a life as possible, until I found out if you had the power of the Shikon.

"Then on that faithful day when you purified a Youkai for attacking your family, you showed just a small amount of the power that you held. I then took it upon myself to train you since your mother refused. She didn't want you to be trained as a miko because she didn't want you to follow in our footsteps."

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru sat there and was listening to the old miko. His eyebrow went up when he detected the lie that the old woman was telling his mate. There was a reason that his mate's mother didn't want her to be trained as a miko, and the reason the old miko took it upon herself to train his mate. He will have to ask her his question when his mate was not in the room with them. He will just wait for the right moment to ask his questions.

-oOo-

Kagome was shocked to hear this. No wonder she and her mother would always get into arguments because of her training. Kagome then turned her attention back to her Baa-chan as she asked, "Baa-chan can you tell me what these mean?" Kagome then pulled her sleeves up as she showed Kaede the markings on the back of her hand.

Kaede's eye opened wide as she said, "No this can't be true, it's impossible!"

Kagome was surprised by her Baa-chan's outburst as she asked, "What! What's wrong? What's impossible?"

Kagome was getting upset at her Baa-chan's reaction to her markings. She turned her eyes toward Sesshoumaru as she saw the look in his eyes. They were intense as they stared at Kaede.

Sesshoumaru has been sitting there drinking his tea as he listened to what the old miko was saying. She was a powerful miko but not nearly as powerful as his mate. He saw her reaction to his mate's markings and started to growl. He put his tea cup down and snarled, "Old one, I suggest that you answer my mate's question. What is impossible?"

Kaede bowed her head in respect, "Excuse me milord, I meant no offense." She then turned her attention to Kagome as she tried to calm her racing heart, "Kagome, the markings you have on the back of your hands, do you have any more of them?"

Kagome looked confused as she said, "Yes, they are on the back of both my hands, Sesshoumaru also told me that I have a vine going up my spine with a single moon flower on it and then there is this."

Kagome lowered the front of her shirt enough to reveal the mark around her neck. When Kaede saw the vine necklace with the crescent moon on her neck she knew the truth. No matter how much she wished it wasn't true, the Kami's have finally made their choice. She stood from her chair as she bowed deeply to Kagome.

Kagome did not know what was going on, when she saw her Baa-chan kneeling in front of her, she was shocked as she asked, "Baa-chan, why are you kneeling in front of me? What do these markings mean?"

Kaede rose as she answered her question, "Milady, you are the supreme earth miko. You possess the power of the earth itself and can control all of its elements. We have been told of your coming but I never expected her to be you."

Kagome was traumatized to the point that she could not speak. Sesshoumaru having heard the old miko words said, "Explain miko."

Kaede took a deep breath as she continued, "This happened a very long time ago, no one really knows when. There was a powerful miko that roamed the lands. It was said that her powers were great and rivaled that of the Kami's. She had a kind heart and helped all who needed her. She was the embodiment of what was pure in the world as she took care of the land and its people.

"One day a powerful demon saw her. He immediately fell in love with her and wanted her as his mate. He watched her from afar waiting for the opportunity to approach her. Then one day she was attacked. He saw her fighting against great odds and went to help her. During the battle he was wounded but he did manage to protect her from harm.

"Once the battle was over she turned to the one that came to her aid as she saw that he was wounded. She went to him and helped heal his wounds. That was the start of their relationship. The demon courted her for a while and then when he had gotten to know her he asked her to be his mate. She agreed and they were mated.

"The miko never knew that he was the lord of the lands and when they mated she became his queen. But on the night of their mating it seemed that the Kami's blessed their union for they sent the moon flowers to grow on the lands. These flowers never died, not even in the winter, they bloomed all year around to show that this was a union that was blessed by the Kami's and a symbol of her rule with her mate.

"The land prospered under their rule. It was said that she turned into a Youkai to make it easier for her mate. She never wanted to cause his kind to hate her so she turned into one of them to live in peace.

"Centuries later she gave birth to a son. It was a powerful pup and was loved by all. They lived happily for centuries until a great evil came to the land. He wanted the female's power for himself as he made plans to take her away from her mate.

"They attacked as their shiro came under siege. They all fought hard and the demon lord that was her mate fought hard to protect her. But the enemy wanted the lord's mate as they went after her. They knew that if she kept her pup she will never go into heat until it was of age. So they went after the pup and tried to kill it. That only made the miko mad as she unleashed the power of the earth.

"Many died that day but the miko succeeded in protecting her son and died of her wounds. Her mate stayed behind even after her death to raise their son. When he was finally a full grown Youkai he passed his rule to him and then he finally died to be with his mate.

"The day the miko died so did the moon flowers. It is said that if the moon flowers come back to the earth it means that the moon and earth are finally united as one and peace will be restored to the lands. All will live together in harmony as the ruling pair will see to their well-being.

"It was later prophesied that a more powerful earth miko will rise and mate with the strongest Youkai in the lands. When they finally join the earth and moon will finally be together as one like it was meant to be.

"The earth miko has markings like yours Kagome. The marking around your neck with the crescent moon and moon flower in the middle signifies that you are the supreme earth miko. The fact that you have the markings means that you have mated the most powerful Youkai in all the lands, and now the earth and moon are as they should be."

Sesshoumaru listened to what the old miko was telling them. He was shocked as he heard his Hiijiji's story on how he met his mate. He looked at his own mate as he saw her deep in thought.

He could tell that she was processing the information that her baa-chan has given her as he saw her deep in thought. Then he heard her excuse herself as she went into the bathroom. This was his opportunity to ask his questions.

Once his mate was gone he turned to the old miko and asked, "A little while ago you lied to my mate about the reason her mother did not want her to train as a miko. You will tell this one why."

Kaede only eye opened wide when she heard Sesshoumaru's question. She should have guessed that he would pick up on her lie. She sighed heavily as she stated, "My daughter-in-law never wanted her daughter to train to be a miko because she was planning on turning her against her true destiny. She is part of a group of priest and priestesses that have been looking for the Shikon Miko. Their hope was to turn her to their way of thinking and help them get rid of the Youkai on the lands.

"She wasn't there when Kagome purified that Youkai for hurting her father, he died protecting his little girl because he knew the truth about her. You see my son told me who she was and made me promise him that if anything ever happened to him that I was to take over her training. He was the one that started Kagome's training. He knew of her past and knew that she would have to mate the most powerful Youkai of the lands.

"The earth and moon had to be reunited in order to set things right. He knew his wife was trying to find the Shikon miko and he tried to hide it for as long as he could. When Kagome purified that Youkai I was there with my son. We had just finished a training session with her and we were heading back home when a Youkai came out from behind the trees and demanded that we hand over the jewel. We both knew what he was talking about as I took off running with Kagome while he tried to fight the demon.

"Kagome turned and saw when her father was hit and fell dead on the ground. She stopped and screamed her head off and her powers came forth. It was a powerful blast as she purified the Youkai that killed her father.

"I made Kagome promise me that she would never tell her mother what happened that day. But she became suspicious when I would come every day to train her, that I finally told her that I was training her to become a miko.

"We have been at odds with each other when she couldn't turn Kagome to her way of thinking plus Kagome would never use her powers to hurt anyone on purpose. She has a kind and loving heart, she prefers to avoid conflict than fight. That's why Asumi gave you her permission to mate her daughter, because she was worthless to her the way she was."

Sesshoumaru was blown away by what he heard. He never knew her mother could be so cruel as to basically sell her daughter to him. Oh he knew that she had a reason for letting them mate and the only thing he could think of was that she could keep tabs on him and where he went. She knew that her daughter would inform her if she was leaving the area and going with him. Her mother knew that he would never leave his mate behind if he had to go anywhere.

Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to the old miko, "I thank you, now I know that I will have to protect her from her own mother. But I think we should stop talking now since Kagome is about to come back."

Kaede agreed as she let the subject drop and then turned when she saw her granddaughter coming back to the table.

-oOo-

Kagome was returning to the dining room, after taking care of business, and sat back down. She could not believe what her Baa-chan was telling her. She was the supreme earth miko of the lands and the Shikon miko as well. She was confused by all the information she was hearing. She looked up as she asked, "Baa-chan, I want to come back in the morning to speak with you again. Plus I want you to instruct me on how to use these new powers that I have, if this is all right with you?"

Kaede heard Kagome's request as she said, "Of course child. I welcome each of your visits. I will help you understand your powers as much as possible."

Kagome, happy with Kaede's answer, turned to Sesshoumaru and asked, "Sesshoumaru can we go home? I'm tired and everything that I have heard here today has made my head hurt. I want to go back and rest for a while."

Sesshoumaru understood his mate as they both got up and left the old woman's home. He formed his orb of light as he traveled back to his home. He went straight to his home as he entered through the roof of the building.

He never bothered to walk into the building, if he did he would have noticed the hordes of reporters that were waiting for him. They have heard of his mating and now they wanted to get a good look at his mate as the world was curious to see who she was.

Sesshoumaru walked into his home as he went to the living room and sat down with Kagome. He held her in his arms as he asked, "Kagome, are you all right?"

Kagome was still confused about everything she heard. She didn't understand why she needed all of these powers to be mated to Sesshoumaru. She heard Sesshoumaru's question as she answered, "Yes I'm fine. I just don't understand why I have all of these powers. I really have no need for them so why was I gifted with them?"

Sesshoumaru held his mate closer as he tried to explain. "Kagome, in order to be the mate of this Sesshoumaru you have to be powerful in your own right. My beast picked you as our mate because you had these qualities.

"I have roamed these lands for centuries looking for a mate that I can love and protect. A big part in me selecting a mate is that she must be almost equal to me in power. If she was a weak individual then a mating will never be possible, no matter how much I love her. It is the way of things but with this power you will help me rule over the lands.

"You can protect yourself and our pups when they are born. It allows me the latitude to go and fight, having the knowledge that you will be well protected. Knowing that you are the supreme earth and Shikon miko makes it all the better. No one will be able to harm you.

"In your previous life they were able to defeat you because they all gathered together to attack. If they were to try that now you will be able to defeat them with ease, thus keeping you here on these lands with me.

"You must not be afraid to protect or to exert your authority when it comes to putting the Youkai on these lands in their place. You must do this in order to gain their respect. Though I will protect you they must see that my mate will not be defeated so easily.

"In a few months' time we must head back to my father's shiro. There will be a ceremony where I will formally present you as my mate to the rest of the Youkai in the lands. It is at this ceremony that you must show that you are my equal in power and might. I have faith that you will present yourself as such."

Kagome listened to what Sesshoumaru was saying. He was right. She was now his mate and she had to act accordingly. But she still had a lot of questions that needed to be answered and until she got them she could not sort out her confusion. She sighed heavily as she leaned against her mate for comfort.

Sesshoumaru held Kagome closer to him. He felt her confusion and knew that she will have to work through her issues. She never really knew that she held all of these powers and it was troubling her.

He reached for the remote as he turned on the TV. They have been away from the area for a while and he wanted to see if there was any trouble around the city. It was how he kept the Youkai in line, though many came to him when there was trouble the news was the best way to get information.

Sesshoumaru's eyes opened wide when the screen came to life and the first thing he saw was his picture on the television. He felt Kagome stiffen in his arms as she was hearing what the reporter was saying.

"Rumors have it that the most eligible bachelor in all of Japan Taisho, Sesshoumaru, owner of Taisho Corporation has finally taken a mate. We are still unable to confirm the rumors since no one has seen him in over a week. Many believe that he is off on his honeymoon with his new bride. We now go live to Taisho Corp where our correspondent is there waiting to see if they can get confirmation of this joyous occasion."

The camera cut off from the news man and then turned to another. He was standing outside Sesshoumaru's building as the cameras closed in on his position.

"Good evening Masou, we are here live at Taisho Corp where we are trying to find out if Sesshoumaru-sama is here. We have so far, been unable to ascertain if the rumors are true. No one has seen the reclusive Daiyoukai in over a week.

"There have been unconfirmed reports that he has finally taken a mate and the world at large is curious to see who she is. We are all speculating that she is powerful in her own right if he has finally taken a mate. The Youkai community has not been able to confirm the rumors, but we hope that soon we will find out the answers."

The reporter kept on talking as Kagome's fear rose. _'Everyone knows that Sesshoumaru has mated. The Youkai will come to attack me again like they did in Sesshoumaru's home. I don't want to kill any more Youkai. What am I going to do?'_

Kagome was deep in thought when she heard her mate growl. She looked up as she listened to what the reporters were saying, "We have here someone that says that the rumors of Sesshoumaru-sama mating are false. Tell me miss why do you believe that these rumors are false?"

The camera closed in on a beautiful demoness. She had her hair up in an elegant bun, jeweled combs decorated her onyx hair. She had blood red eyes and lips and wore the most revealing dress Kagome has ever seen. She would never be caught wearing something so revealing out in public. Then she heard her say, "Sesshoumaru-sama has not taken a mate as of yet. He couldn't have because we are not mated. I'm his intended mate and I can tell you that we have not mated yet, so these rumors are false."

Kagome felt something stir deep inside her. She did not like this female making such a claim on her mate. Sesshoumaru belonged to her and no one was going to take him away from her. The bitch will have to take him over her dead body.

Kagome got up from Sesshoumaru's lap as she went to the window and looked down. She saw all the reporters down there on the sidewalk as she saw this demoness that claims to be her mates intended. Her anger grew even more as her powers were growing slowly.

Sesshoumaru noticed the fear that was coming from his mate when she heard the news that they knew he took a mate. He was about to say something when a demoness claimed to be his intended. This angered him because he knew her. Kagura was not powerful enough to be his mate and she knew it. But at that moment he felt Kagome's anger rise as she got off his lap and went to the window.

Kagome was looking down toward the ground as she spotted the demoness that claimed to be Sesshoumaru's intended. Sesshoumaru has never seen Kagome act like this. She was angry and it was growing by the minute. Her powers were getting stronger as he saw the winds picking up outside. More snow started to come down as it almost turned into a blizzard.

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the TV as he heard the reporter say, "Masou! We are going to cut off our transmission because it appears that we have a blizzard coming our way. This storm just appeared suddenly and we all have to find shelter. When we have more information we will report back to you."

The camera was quickly cut off when Sesshoumaru noticed that everyone that was on the street was quickly leaving the area. Kagura was caught in the middle of the storm as it looked like it was attacking her. He noticed when she took out her fan and tried to move the wind to her will but she was not succeeding. The winds just kept hitting her in the face as she finally gave up and ran, trying to find shelter.

Sesshoumaru turned to his mate as he saw her aura a vibrant green. _'She is manipulating the weather to get rid of everyone from around the area. I have to stop her before she does something that she will regret.'_

Sesshoumaru got off the couch and approached his angry mate, he took his arms and wrapped them around her small body. It seemed to calm her down as the fierce storm that was raging outside seemed to subside.

Kagome's anger was out of control. _'How dare that bitch say that Sesshoumaru was her mate, he is mine and I will not give him up without a fight. I have to learn how to use these powers so I can protect what is mine. I'm sure that she will not be the last one to have a claim on my mate.' _

Kagome felt strong arms going around her body, making her calm down. As her anger started to leave so did the snow storm that was raging on outside. But when she looked down everyone was gone from in front of the building. She sighed, knowing that they were finally alone, but she knew that they will be back.

Sesshoumaru started to purr as he continued to hold his mate. He leaned down and started to lick her neck hoping to keep her calm. He knew that Kagome was upset at what that bitch said. He will have to make that demoness the example just in case some other bitch got the same idea of making a verbal claim on him.

Kagome turned in her mates arms as she said, "It seems that you have a big following of females Sesshoumaru. I do hope they understand that you belong to me and that I will not give you up without a fight."

Sesshoumaru growled at his mates claim on his person. She was acting just like a female Inu Youkai as she would protect that which was hers. He lowered his head as he kissed her hard. The next thing that Sesshoumaru knew he was on the floor with his mate on top of him as she became a thing possessed.

They broke from their kiss as he looked into her eyes. They were white as her powers came forth. It seemed to him that she was changing, she was accepting her powers but she was keeping her form. Her powers grew as he heard her say, "You are mine!"

Her verbal claim on his person made his beast come forth as he rolled and was now on top of his mate. He pinned her to the floor as he ravished her mouth. She has claimed him as her mate and this brought his beast forth to join in that bond.

_**-Start of Lemon-**_

He took his claws as he ripped away her clothes, within minutes he joined her, completely divested of his garments, as he started to ravish her body. His hands were going slowly over her curves as he gently caressed her exposed skin.

Kagome tried to take control but he would have none of it. He pinned her to the floor as he had his way with her. His hand gently massaged her breast while his lips latched on to the other nipple. He suckled hard as he devoured her sweet nipple.

Kagome was in ecstasy, Sesshoumaru was making her body sing to his touch, as she moaned her delight. He ravished her breast as he kept going from one breast to the other. Then he started to go down her body as she moved to take over.

Again Sesshoumaru stopped his mate as his tail pushed her down and kept her there. His need for his mate was growing by the minute but first he wanted to bring her to completion as he quickened the pace of her pleasuring.

Sesshoumaru ravished her completely as he started to feel the start of her release. He went faster as she finally met her end and came hard screaming his name into the heavens.

Once Sesshoumaru got everything she had to offer he crawled over her body as he entered her in one swift move. He howled at the feeling he got. He started to move as he found a rhythm that they both enjoyed.

He started going faster at his mates request as he felt her passion for him. He started to sense that she was coming to her end as he kept pace to release with her. They both exploded at the same time as Sesshoumaru bit down renewing his mates mark.

Kagome could feel that she was coming to her end. She called forth her powers as she came to her end and bit down on Sesshoumaru mating mark. This one was different from the one she gave him before. This was a mark that will show the world that he belonged to her. There will be no doubt on who his mate was, plus it will alert her if there is another female that gets close to her mate.

When Kagome finally came down from her high she pulled her fangs out of his shoulder as she started to lick his wounds closed. When his wounds were closed she then kissed his neck as her spell was set.

_**-End of Lemon -**_

Sesshoumaru felt when his mate marked him again. It made his heart swell with pride knowing that he was hers. Then he felt pain around his neck as he groaned. He had no idea what was going on as he rested his head on his mate's chest.

Kagome started to see her mark coming forth on her mate, as a vine was being tattooed on his neck. This mark was not like hers as it looked more like a necklace rather than the choker that she wore. Just below his collar bone a blue crescent moon like the one he had on his forehead formed. It had a lone moon flower in the middle of the crescent, just like the one she wore. Now he had a proper mark that showed the world that he was spoken for and that she will not give him up that easily.

They held each other for a while as they enjoyed the warmth and comfort of their bodies. Sesshoumaru rolled as he brought his mate to his chest so she could rest. He was purring gently as he rubbed her back in small circles that relaxed her.

Kagome was content, she has marked her mate so everyone could see that he was taken. But there was something that she was thinking about as she turned her head up and asked, "Sesshoumaru, I have a question for you."

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes as he looked at his mate, signaling to continue with her question.

Kagome took a deep breath as she asked, "Would you like for me to change into a Youkai? That way your people will accept me as your mate."

Sesshoumaru snarled as he quickly sat up, grabbing Kagome by her arms he pulled her closer to him. He was not happy with her question as he said in a firm voice, "No, I don't want you to change into a Youkai. I fell in love with you in this form and I want you to stay like this. The Youkai of these lands will learn to respect and accept you as my mate, the way you are."

Kagome's eyes opened wide as she heard Sesshoumaru's statement. She was happy, she was happy that he loved her like she was and did not want her to change. Tears started to form in her eyes as she threw her arms around Sesshoumaru's chest and cried.

Sesshoumaru was confused at his mate's reactions. He felt her happiness but she was crying. Then he heard her say, "Thank you, thank you Sesshoumaru for not wanting me to change and having me stay the way I am. I would have changed for you if that is what you wished."

Sesshoumaru hugged his mate and gently said, "I never want you to change. I love you just the way you are."

They stayed like that for the rest of the day as they finally retired to their room exhausted from their passion.

-oOo-

Kagome was up early the next morning as she was sitting on the couch drinking a hot cup of coffee. She was sitting there watching the news as Sesshoumaru continues to be the hot story of the hour.

Kagome was deep in thought, _'I have to get Sesshoumaru to make a statement to the press. I don't want them following us around and causing Sesshoumaru beast to get loose and attacking them. I know that his inner Inu will perceive them as a threat to me if they continue with their actions.'_

Kagome turned as she heard a growl and the sound of footsteps coming her way. She got up from the couch as she went to get another cup of coffee for her mate before he made it to the living room.

Sure enough as soon as Kagome sat back down, Sesshoumaru came out of the bedroom and joined her. She saw her mate yawn as he stated, "Kagome, what are you doing up so early in the morning? You should be resting."

Kagome smiled as she said, "I couldn't sleep any more so I got up. I have been watching the news and checking out the internet. You, my dear mate, are the talk of the town. They are looking everywhere for you. I think you should consider making a statement to the press so they can leave us alone, otherwise I fear that your inner Inu will take them as a threat to me."

Sesshoumaru was impressed with his mate. She knew his inner Inu all too well. He will perceive these fools as a threat to his mate and will try to escape his hold. When it comes to their mate his beast will not take any chances of anyone hurting her. "The press can wait mate. I want to spend my time with you. Soon we both have to go back to work and our time together will be limited."

Kagome heard his words and almost choked. She had forgotten about work and the marketing presentation that she had to make for Sesshoumaru's product. _'Damn how could I forget that I have a marketing presentation to do in about two weeks? I have to meet with Sango and the gang on the 2__nd__ at my apartment so we can go over the campaign for Sesshoumaru's product. I have to win this. I can't afford to lose this challenge, not when Owaki is going to be one of the judges.' _

"Well I guess I better make breakfast. I want to go over to my grandmother's house early so I can get the rest of my questions answered. Plus I want to learn about these powers that I have and how to control them." Kagome got up from the couch as she went to make breakfast for them.

Sesshoumaru look on as his mate walked into the kitchen. He was curious about the questions that she still had. He turned his attention back to the television as he continued to watch the news and all the reports about him and his mate.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru and Kagome left the safety of his home as they traveled back to Kaede's. No one noticed the Youkai that was watching Sesshoumaru's home from afar as it followed where Sesshoumaru was going.

Sesshoumaru landed gently on the ground as they walked towards Kaede's home. Kaede greeted her guest at the door like she did the previous day. They were all sitting down at the table drinking tea as Kaede was going over some of the powers that Kagome held within her.

Sesshoumaru sat up as he concentrated on the area. There were Youkai nearby and let a fierce growl escape his lips. He stood then said to his mate, "Kagome, stay inside. There are intruders in the area. I will go out and see what they want."

Kagome understood what he was saying as he went outside. Once Sesshoumaru was gone from the house Kagome had her chance to ask the questions that she did not want to ask as long as Sesshoumaru was with her. "Baa-chan, I have some more questions to ask you now that Sesshoumaru is gone. I don't want him to know about this."

Kaede nodded her understanding as she heard Kagome ask, "I want to know what is wrong with me, I mean not a minute goes by that I don't want to jump Sesshoumaru and ravish his body. I know that this is not normal, so why am I acting this way?"

Kaede chuckled as she said, "Kagome, what you are experiencing is the bonding phase of your mating with Sesshoumaru. When a demoness mates there is a constant desire for her to couple with her mate. It is a feeling that is deep within her to make sure that a bond is established with her male. This feeling lasts until the next full moon then it should start to diminish. You should be normal after that."

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, she was happy that she was not becoming a sex crazed maniac. But then she heard Kaede continue, "Kagome, this is something that you should be aware of. In order for you to have a child you will not be able to conceive until the night of the full moon on the winter solstice. On this night your power will be at their greatest and you will be able to conceive. The child born to you and Sesshoumaru will be a pure Youkai child. It is Sesshoumaru's reward for being your mate and protecting you."

Kagome was confused by her statement. "A reward? Why is it a reward for him?"

Kaede looked at Kagome with a raised eyebrow, "Being your mate means that he has to be in constant vigilance to make sure you are kept safe. There will be those who will try and take you away from Sesshoumaru. There will be Youkai who will challenge you for your mate. You my child have to learn how to stand up and protect yourself against them or else you will lose everything.

"Your wish of not killing Youkai because you are Sesshoumaru's mate is not going to happen. You will have to prove yourself to them and fight to protect that which is yours. Harden your heart my child because if you don't you will not last long as Sesshoumaru's mate. He has wondered the earth for a long time looking for a mate that he could love and protect. He chose you, don't make him think that he has made a mistake."

Kagome listened to what Kaede was saying. She was right. Midoriko told her the same thing and that's when she got enough nerve to fight against that demoness that wanted to take away her mate.

Kaede then took Kagome and showed her how to use her powers. She caught on quickly to what she needed to do as she used her new found powers to find her mate. He was outside as his anger was growing. Something was upsetting him as she opened her senses to find what was upsetting him so much.

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she felt the amount of Youkai in the area as her anger grew. She did not like her mate being upset as she said her goodbyes to Kaede, pulled her hood over her head to hide her features, and then started to walk out the door.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru walked out of the house as he felt a Youkai in the area. He could tell that more were coming as he growled his displeasure. His youki swirled around his feet as he lifted off the ground looking for the intruder.

He made a sweep of the area and did not see anything out of the ordinary. But then he caught his scent as he found his prey. It was a hawk Youkai in his true form. He was sitting on a tree branch when he transformed back into his ningen form and pulled out a cell phone. He was talking to someone as he appeared right in front of him.

-oOo-

The Youkai that followed Sesshoumaru to this house in the country sat on top of a branch as he observed what was going on down below. He had seen Sesshoumaru land and walk toward the house that was out here. He had a female with him but he could not see what she looked like.

He moved deeper into the branches as he transformed back into his ningen form and called his partners, telling them that he has found Sesshoumaru and where he was located. Once he finished his phone call he transforms back into his true Youkai form and moved to another tree.

He was sitting there waiting when he felt his phone vibrate. He transformed back and answered the call. While he was talking he never noticed that he was spotted. When he was done and ended his call he looked up to see Sesshoumaru floating there with blood red eyes.

Sesshoumaru growled at the intruder as he heard him say in a nervous voice, "Good day milord." Sesshoumaru was not amused as he growled, "Why are you here?"

The Youkai knew he was in trouble and there was no way he was getting out of this, "I was just out getting some fresh air. I meant no harm milord."

"If you were out just to get some fresh air then why were you on the phone talking to the other reporters?" Sesshoumaru asked as he growled his displeasure. He saw the demon pale, when he didn't have any answers for him.

At that moment Sesshoumaru heard the sound of cars coming into the area, they stopped in front of the house as hordes of newspaper and television reporters stepped out of the cars and surrounded the area.

Sesshoumaru's anger grew as he held out his hand, palm out, and released his poisoned mist. He killed the Youkai for violating his privacy with his mate and went to confront the other Youkai that arrived at the house.

About 20 cars stopped in front of Kaede's house as 50 reporters piled out of the cars and tried to go towards Kaede's home. A powerful barrier stopped them all in their tracks and they were all in shock.

Sesshoumaru appeared in front of all of them as he growled, "You are all to leave here at once!"

The reporters having seen Sesshoumaru for the first time in over a week all started shouting questions at him, "Sesshoumaru-sama is it true that you have taken a mate? Who is she Sesshoumaru-sama? When will we get to meet her?"

"Silence! This Sesshoumaru does not answer to the likes of you. You will leave this place now!" Sesshoumaru's eyes were blood red from his anger as the reporters took a step back in fright.

At that moment a powerful barrier was placed around the area as Sesshoumaru picked up on his mate's distress. He turned as he took off into the forest after Kagome.

The reporters all breathed a sigh of relief as they saw Sesshoumaru taking off into the forest. An old priestess came forth as she said, "I suggest that you all leave this area before Sesshoumaru-sama comes back and kills you for disturbing his rest."

The reporters took the warning as they all left, but one was curious enough to stop as he turned to her and asked, "Excuse me priestess, was Sesshoumaru-sama here with his mate?"

Kaede turned her eye toward the reporter and replied, "Sesshoumaru-sama came here alone. He always comes here to spend time out in the forest. He says that it's relaxing to him and hates to be disturbed while he is meditating. One of your friends has already paid the price for disturbing his meditation. If you don't want to be next then I suggest you leave."

The reporters did not need to be told again as they all got into their cars and left the area.

-oOo-

Kagome felt when there were more Youkai coming into the area. She did not want Sesshoumaru to kill so many because of her. She put on her jacket as she pulled the hood up over her head to hide her features. But before she walked out the door, she turned to her grandmother and said, "Baa-chan, I'm going to leave this area to make sure that Sesshoumaru doesn't kill any more of his kind because I'm here. I will place a barrier around the area to protect the house. You can put your own barrier up and then mine will go down. I will return soon so I can continue to learn about my powers."

Kagome then leaned over and kissed her grandmother goodbye as she went out the door, making sure that she kept her features hidden from all the Youkai that were outside.

When Kagome came out of the house she felt the amount of Youkai coming into the area. She knew that Sesshoumaru did not want to announce their mating as of yet and she respected his wishes. She turned and went into the forest. Once she was far enough away from the house she will get in contact with Sesshoumaru and tell him where she was located.

Kagome traveled deep into the forest as she tried to get away from the Youkai that were now after them. _'Why can't they just leave us alone? All I want is to spend some time with Sesshoumaru before we have to head back to our normal lives. Kami, I wander how Sesshoumaru puts up with this all the time. I would have expected half of the reporters to be dead by now for getting into his life.'_

After a few minutes of running Kagome stopped deep in the forest and was breathing hard. She was doubled over with her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.

The snow was deep in here and it made it hard for her to walk let alone run. Kagome was leaning against a tree trying to catch her breath when she heard a noise in the area. She opened her senses, when she felt Youkai coming into the area. Her fear took over as she tried to determine where they were located, while she hid her features deeper in the hood she was wearing over her head.

-oOo-

A few of the reporters noticed when a young female came out of the house and ran into the forest. Her features were hidden underneath a hood that she wore. You couldn't see her face but you could tell that it was a female by the shapely body. They were wondering if she was as beautiful as the body she possessed.

Then they turned their attention to the Youkai lord that appeared in front of them as he challenged the rest of their colleges. Thinking that they had a good story, they followed the female to see if they could determine who she is.

They chased her deep into the forest as they were trying to catch up to her. She was moving fast for a female, they could not tell if she was a ningen or Youkai since she seemed to be hiding her aura.

They finally found her as they stopped a few feet away from her. They could not see what she looked like since her back was turned to them. One of them stepped forward and said, "Excuse me Miss, but we would like to ask you some questions."

Kagome heard the Youkai words as she said, "I have nothing to say to you. Leave this place and leave me alone." Kagome stood straight and started to walk away, when she felt that they were following, her anger grew.

The Youkai reporters were not about to let her get away. They were thinking that they finally had Sesshoumaru's mate cornered as another said, "All we want to do is ask you a few questions. Like, are you Sesshoumaru's mate?"

Kagome stopped as she said in a low and deadly voice, "I have no idea who this Sesshoumaru is. If this person was mated I would think it would be his business and not yours."

"We all have a right to know who his female is because she will be queen to all the lands. If she mated Sesshoumaru then she must be powerful as well. Plus getting her identity will make us all rich. The newspapers and television stations will pay well for this information." Another Youkai reporter said who was standing there. They were wondering if this female was the lucky lady.

This information did not sit well with Kagome as she started to leave. The Youkai reporters moved as they surrounded her.

Kagome noticed when they prevented her from leaving. She was trying to hold on to her aura but most of all she was hiding Sesshoumaru's scent and his mark from all there. "Move, you are in my way." Kagome said in a deadly voice. These Youkai were pushing her to her limits.

"Not until you answer ours question. We believe that you are Sesshoumaru's mate and we want to know who you are!" One of the Youkai yelled, as they moved closer to Kagome.

Kagome saw it as a threat as her powers were slowly unleashed. The wind picked up around the area as it was slowly circling her body. The snow that was on the ground was being picked up by the wind and it was being used to push the Youkai back from her position.

The reporters had no idea what was going on. They never detected any power coming from the female but the wind suddenly picked up around the area. Soon they were getting hit by the snow on the ground as they all stepped away from the female. They were trying to keep their eyes on her but it was becoming difficult to see.

Then the Youkai all went down as a strong wind knocked them all on their asses while the female disappeared from sight. When the wind finally stopped they all noticed that the female was gone as they were frantically looking around the area for her. Try as they might they didn't even find her tracks in the snow where she fled from them.

Frustrated that they have missed their chance in finding out who Sesshoumaru's mate was. The reporters went back to their vehicles as they left the area, trying to think of another way to identify his mate.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was flying through the air as he felt his mate's distress. He was following her scent when he finally found her in the forest with 10 Youkai reporters that were surrounding her. He growled as he heard their statements and then felt the hurt and guilt from his mate for lying about knowing him. He could tell that it hurt her deeply.

He noticed when she was letting go of her powers as the winds picked up around the area. He was having a hard time staying in the air as the snow was whipping around the area. It created the perfect cover as he swooped in, knocked everyone away from his mate, grabbed Kagome, and left the area.

Sesshoumaru formed his golden orb of light, he left the area quickly heading back to his home. Kagome was struggling in his arms as he was holding on to her to make sure that she did not fall from the sky.

Kagome was about to leave under the cover of the snow storm when she was grabbed and pulled into the air. She was struggling in their hold when she let her powers go. Her Reiryoku grew in its intensity as it attacked the one that was holding her. She never noticed how high up she was as she continued to struggle against her assailant, wanting to go back to her mate. She stopped when she felt a set of fangs on her neck, as she froze in place. A very deep growl was heard, that she recognized, as it went down her back and she calmed down.

Sesshoumaru was struggling to keep his mate from falling out of the sky. He felt the bite of her powers as she was trying to purify him. The ring on his finger glowed with power as it protected him from her wrath. He finally had enough as he grabbed her by the neck and started to growl low and deep. He finally felt her calm down in his arms as he continued on his way.

They finally arrived back at Sesshoumaru's building as he quickly made his way down to his apartment from the roof. Once he was inside his home he released Kagome from his grasp as he checked his home to make sure it was safe for them.

Nothing smelled out of place but he was not going to take any chances with his mate. When he was done he went back to his mate as he saw her standing by the window looking down to the street. He walked to her side as he looked down and saw the hordes of Youkai and ningen reporters outside his building waiting. He growled his displeasure at seeing them in front of his business and home.

Kagome was standing there looking at the crowd down below. She felt a great sadness in her heart for causing so much trouble for her mate. The reporters were only out there because they wanted to see who she was. If she was not here then they would not be here to harass her mate.

She turned as she went into the bedroom with a heavy heart. She never knew that all of this would happen when she mated Sesshoumaru. She wondered if they were ever going to leave them alone.

Sesshoumaru turned as he saw his mate walking into the bedroom. He knew she was upset as he followed. He saw her sitting on the bed as he approached and sat behind her. He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her closer to him. He held her in his arms as he comforted his distress mate.

Kagome leaned back into Sesshoumaru's arms, closing her eyes. "Why, why are they doing this Sesshoumaru? Why won't they leave us alone? If I have never mated you then you would still have your privacy. Now they are going to be constantly after you because of me."

Sesshoumaru became upset at his mate's words. It was not her fault that those fools were after him. They have always been after him no matter what he did. He was just faster than them and he never let them get close to him.

He started rocking back and forth. The motion seemed to calm Kagome down as he softly said, "Kagome, it's not your fault. These fools have always followed me around no matter where I went. Now they have something new to pursue me about and they are taking advantage of my preoccupation. Now calm yourself, I will not let them get anywhere near you again."

Sesshoumaru started his low growl as he rocked his mate, holding her close to his chest. He started an incantation that will put his mate to sleep so she could rest, she finally calmed and fell asleep in his arms. He had to put her to sleep so she would not think about what was going on outside. He placed her in their bed as he made sure that she was comfortable.

Once he was assured of her comfort it was time that he dealt with the troublesome reporters that were upsetting his mate. His anger was peeked as he went to the roof and looked around the area. He spotted several Youkai in the area as they were watching his home. He disappeared from the roof as each of them met with their demise for causing his mate upset.

When the roof tops were clear he then turned his attention to the ones on the street. He landed in a rush of power when he noticed that the hordes of reporters were running up to him. He heard the rush of questions about his mate as his eyes turned blood red from his anger. "If this Sesshoumaru has taken a mate it is not your concern. But what does concern me is that you are obstructing my business by being out here. Now leave before I band every newspaper and television station in this country for intruding in my life."

The reporters were not buying it as one of them yelled, "You can't do that! There is freedom of the press and you cannot keep this kind of information from everyone in the world!"

Sesshoumaru lost control of his beast as he came forth in all his glory. He stood tall and howled into the air as he turned his attention to all of the reporters. He took a step forward as he growled viciously showing his fangs. He was not happy with these fools for challenging his authority when it came to his mate.

All of the Youkai quickly backed away when Sesshoumaru beast came forth. They knew now that they have pissed off the Lord of the Lands and this was a very big mistake. They all left in a big hurry and will stay away from him for now. They will wait until he formally presented his mate to the Youkai community, because if they came near him again it will be their death.

Sesshoumaru's beast did not back down until everyone left the area. He will protect his mate no matter what and these fools better learn to keep their distance from her.

When everyone was gone Sesshoumaru formed his orb once more and went home. He entered his apartment as he went straight to his bedroom. He looked in and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Kagome was still there asleep on their shared bed.

He crawled into bed with her as he snuggled close to her body. He wrapped his tail around her form and fell asleep.

They stayed in Sesshoumaru's apartment for the next few days. Kagome had woken up to find that all of the reporters were gone from around the building and to her delight there was no mention of her or Sesshoumaru in the news. She wondered if Sesshoumaru had anything to do with it. If he did she was grateful for it. She enjoyed her time with her mate while she could. Soon she will have to go back to work and their schedule will be hectic.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Sorry for the long wait in posting this chapter but work is getting hectic once more.

Things will start getting hot as the reporters and someone else, who wants Kagome, come into the picture. Plus our favorite toad will be making his appearance in the next chapter.

Until the next time

Jani!


	10. Chapter 10

Sesshoumaru woke up early the next morning, after a night of heated passion with his mate, she was still asleep in their bed. He decided to get up and make breakfast for her as he went into the bathroom to get cleaned up.

-oOo-

A lone figure was slowly making his way up to the lord's apartment. He has been gone for a while now and he missed doing his duties. It was fun being with his family but he could only stay with them for so long before he went crazy with their antics. So he decided to head home early, he knew that his lord could not manage without his faithful servant. How could he? Didn't he take care of all of his needs and run all of his errands.

Jaken faithful servant and vassal to Sesshoumaru Lord of the Lands returned a day early so he could help his lord. He was currently in the elevator heading upstairs to his lords apartment. He had gone by the mansion and he was not there so he came to the city to see if his lord was staying here.

He finally made it upstairs as he walked into the apartment. He heard his lord's shower going as he went into the kitchen and got the coffee going. He then made his way to his lord's bed chambers to see if he could set out his clothing while he was cleaning up.

Jaken entered the room and went straight to the closet as he got his lords clothes for him. He came back out when he saw something in his lord's bed. He approached with caution when he noticed a lot of black hair. He didn't know who this was while he put the clothes down and then approached the figure with caution.

When he was close enough he noticed that it was a ningen female that was in his lord's bed and became angry. _'How dare this ningen wench be in my lord's bed! Who does she think she is?'_

Jaken took his staff of two heads as he poked the female. He heard her moan but she never woke up as he poked harder. He wanted her to leave his lords room so he could tend to Sesshoumaru's needs. He took a claw full of hair and pulled hard. It had the desired affects as she bolted awake.

Kagome was in a deep sleep when she felt someone poking at her, she moaned and rolled over, while she continued to sleep. Then she felt when her hair was painfully pulled as she bolted awake and sat up in bed. She had the sheets to the bed covering her front when she noticed a little green toad with big eyes staring right at her. She screamed as she pushed back off the bed, trying to get away from him when she heard, "Who in the hell are you? Get out of here this instant!"

Jaken then took his staff and tried to hit Kagome again but the female proved to be fast.

Kagome seeing that she was about to be hit scrambled out of the bed, trying to take the sheet with her, when her feet got tangled up in them. She fell off the bed, hitting her head on the nightstand in the room. She got a big gash on her forehead as she landed unconscious on the floor.

Jaken had the look of satisfaction on his lips as he got closer to the female. He was about to strike her again, to kill her, when he felt his lord jump in front of him and he leaped away in time to avoid the strike.

Jaken looked up and saw the blood red eyes of his master as he gently spoke, "Milord, is there anything wrong?"

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru had just finished with his shower and was drying off when he heard Kagome scream. Then he caught the scent of her blood as he became enraged and rushed out of the bathroom.

He found Jaken there about to hit his mate as he leaped with his claws drawn. He took a swipe, but the little toad proved to be fast, as he got out of his way. His beast that was close to the surface was not in the mood to deal with Jaken, when he heard his question, "Get out of here now! Never come into my chambers unless you are told to do so."

Jaken having heard his lords words ran out of the room. Yes he has made Sesshoumaru angry before but never like this. He was really going to kill him this time and he wanted to avoid a confrontation.

He ran into the kitchen, he was going to fix his lord some food to see if he could appease his anger. Jaken was wondering who in the hell that female was that his lord was protecting so viciously, when a thought came into his mind, _'Come to think of it, I have never known Lord Sesshoumaru to ever have a female in his bed before. So why is this female so special? And why is he protecting her?'_

Jaken continued with this train of thought as something else came to his mind, _'Could this female be his mate? No, Sesshoumaru-sama would never mate a weak ningen. I know for a fact that he would keep his line as pure as possible.'_ But this nagging thought never left his mind as he continued to cook the morning meal for his lord.

Once Jaken left the bedroom Sesshoumaru turned his full attention to Kagome. She had a cut on her forehead as he picked her up and started to heal her wound. When he was done taking care of her wound he took her into the bathroom, he entered the large hot tub and held Kagome close to his chest. He cleaned all the blood out of her hair, then growled to soothe her.

After a while he felt movement as he looked down and noticed that Kagome was waking up.

Kagome felt pain in her head, she tried to remember what happened to cause her so much pain. Slowly she opened her eyes as she found that Sesshoumaru had her in his lap. She was confused, asking, "Sesshoumaru what happened?"

Sesshoumaru rubbed his cheek against hers, trying to calm his upset mate, "How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts the most. What happened to me?" Kagome was confused about what happened to her and why she was hurting.

Sesshoumaru did not like this one bit. The hit on her head worried him. She may have a concussion as he asked, "What do you remember?"

Kagome tried to think but it just hurt too much, she whimpered, saying, "I need an aspirin, maybe when this headache is gone I can remember what happened."

Sesshoumaru could feel the pain that his mate was in. He understood what she was saying as he got out of the hot tub and dried his mate. He then took her back to their bed and tried to get her to rest. He got her some aspirin and once she took the pills she slowly fell back to sleep. When Sesshoumaru was sure that his mate was resting comfortably it was time to bring an arrogant toad down a notch.

Sesshoumaru got up as he went out into the main living area. He could smell the food that Jaken was cooking but no amount of groveling will save him this time.

Sesshoumaru could feel Jaken in the kitchen as he hurried to get the meal on the table. He stood there waiting until his retainer came to him and said, "Excuse me Sesshoumaru-sama, but breakfast is ready."

Sesshoumaru was not happy with Jaken at the moment. He let a vicious growl escape his throat, "I want to know why you attacked the female in my bedroom?"

Jaken was shaking in fear. He could tell that Sesshoumaru was pissed at him. He has never seen him this angry before. He was wondering what he did wrong, "I found that filthy ningen in your bed and wanted her to leave before you came out of the bathroom. She had no right to be there."

The next thing Jaken knew he was in Sesshoumaru's grasp, he was being suspended about 5 feet in the air. Sesshoumaru had him by his throat when Jaken heard him say, "Now you listen to me Jaken, you will show respect for that female because she is my mate. I will not have you or anyone else disrespect her. She is now the Lady of these Lands and she rules with me."

Jaken could not believe what he was hearing as his mouth took over before his brain could kick in. "Milord, why would you take a worthless ningen as your mate? She will never be respected by the Youkai of these lands."

That was the wrong thing to say to Sesshoumaru as Jaken found himself flying across the room. Jaken hit the wall hard as he slowly slid down and hit the floor face first, while he heard his lord growling viciously at him. Jaken, fearing for his life, quickly got to his knees and did what he did best, he groveled, "Please forgive me milord, I didn't mean to offend."

Sesshoumaru's eyes were now blood red and stated, "You will leave immediately."

When Jaken heard this he panicked, never before has his lord ever asked him to leave. "Please milord, please do not make me leave!"

"Silence Jaken! You are to travel to my father's shiro and you are to work with Kaito. I want the ceremony for the presentation of my mate to be ready by the end of the month, and if anything goes wrong, Jaken, it will be your death."

Jaken could tell that his lord will actually kill him this time if this presentation did not go well. He has made the biggest mistake of his life in attacking his mate and now he will have to work hard to earn his lords forgiveness.

Jaken bowed low as his forehead touched the ground and said, "It will be as you command milord. We will have everything ready for the presentation on time." He then got up off the floor as he cleaned up the kitchen and left his lords apartment.

He has done a great wrong, there had to be a reason why his lord chose that ningen as his mate. Surely his beast would not pick a weak ningen to rule with him. Jaken braced himself it was going to take him some time to reach the western shiro as he made it outside and started walking in the cold.

-oOo-

A lone figure stood by the window drinking a hot cup of coffee while she looked out over the city. The city was beautiful during this time of night. It was quiet out as its shinny lights glowed brightly for all to see. All who lived in the city were asleep and there was no one out on the streets tonight.

It was just before dawn and Kagome was gazing out the window of the apartment. She has been up for a while now, as she thought about everything that has happened to her, since she has mated Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru, her sweet mate, would give her the world if she so desired. But can she give him what he desires the most, a strong mate to stand by his side for all eternity? It was hard for her to comprehend what she was. It all came so fast that she was confused at what she should do.

Kagome has been gifted with great powers and she did not understand why she would need them. It was all new to her as she thought about everything that has happened since her mating/marriage. These powers that the Kami's have given her were a gift and meant to be used, but could she use them correctly?

She has never been a violent person. She preferred to live in peace and not have any confrontations. But ever since she mated Sesshoumaru she was being put through, what seemed to be, a test.

Every time she turned around someone was challenging her for her mate. This did not sit well with her. No one will take him from her. It would kill her if her mate was to leave her side now. She enjoyed her time with him, his gentle caresses was something that she cherished the more time she spent with him. It was something that she craved and he was more than willing to shower her with it.

What happened to her the previous day came to mind. She was attacked while she was sleeping, and almost paid the ultimate price for being Sesshoumaru's mate. She had worried her mate all day until her headache was finally gone. Kagome could see the worry he had in his eyes while he tended to her needs. This will not due. She will not make her mate worry about her because she cannot take care of herself.

Kagome knew that Sesshoumaru would fight for her. He will fight anyone to keep her by his side and keep her safe. She felt a deep determination grow inside her chest. If her mate could fight to keep her by his side then she too must fight to keep him by her side. He bore her mark and he was the only male that she wanted.

She came to an understanding that the Kami's gave her these gifts to make her equal to the Youkai. It leveled out the playing field for her and gave her a fighting chance. She finally came to her decision on what she wanted to do.

She needed to learn how to behave in the Youkai community and learn what is expected of her now that she was Sesshoumaru's mate. She has tried to research this information but there was no information out there, but she was determined to find out.

She mulled this idea over in her mind as two names came to her. They have always been there for her throughout her life and helped her when she needed help. She will have to call Sango and Ayame after breakfast and see if they can meet. She needed answers and she knew that her friends will help her in her efforts.

Once she settled on a plan on what she was going to do about her mate she thought about the other things that were weighing heavily on her mind. Mainly the marketing presentation set for 12 days from today.

Kagome had to make sure they were on track for the presentation, she needed a machine that she could test to see how it works, plus she needed to look at the packaging for the product. You can have the best marketing firm in the business marketing your product, but if the packaging was substandard then it will not help sell the product. She needed to ask her mate for a working model that she could use for her research.

Kagome looked up and noticed that the sun was coming up over the horizon. She knew that Sesshoumaru will be up soon and she needed to get things prepared. She was going to have a very long day and she needed to get started as soon as possible. She drank the last of her coffee while she turned and walked into the kitchen. It was time for her to cook breakfast as she made a mental note of the things she needed to do today.

Sesshoumaru walked out of the bedroom fully dressed to go to work. He saw his lovely mate in the kitchen serving their food as he walked up behind her and grabbed her by the waist. He lowered his head as he kissed her neck good morning.

Kagome felt when Sesshoumaru came into the kitchen. She felt his arms and could not help the groan that came from her throat when he kissed her neck near her mark. She put down the plates of food as she turned in his arms and gave him a proper good morning kiss.

When they released each other she looked into his eyes and said, "Breakfast is ready, let's sit down to eat before it gets cold."

They walked over to the table and sat down as they ate in comfortable silence.

Sesshoumaru could not have been happier. He had his mate and he never knew that having someone to share his life with could be so wonderful. He was wondering what she was going to do today since he was going to work and she would be by herself for most of the day. "Kagome, what are you going to be doing today?"

Kagome looked up from her plate as she quickly chewed the food in her mouth before she replied, "I'm going to be gone most of the day. Sango is coming over to get me and then we're going to the dojo where I normally train. Ayame will meet me there and I plan to do some training. After that we are going to my apartment to work on our marketing campaign for your product, which reminds me, I need a working model from you so I can see the packaging that it's in and see how it works."

Sesshoumaru was surprised at the amount of stuff she was going to be doing. He really did not have a problem with her going out with her friends since he knew of their true nature. They were powerful and will do anything to protect and keep her safe.

But when her last statement reached his mind, he asked, "Why do you want to see the packaging for the product?"

Kagome looked up again, stating, "Well you can have the best marketing campaign to sell your product but if the packaging doesn't attract customers, then you're not going to sell very much. I want to make sure that its appealing and that the consumer is going to see and identify the product for what it is."

Sesshoumaru was amazed at what Kagome was saying, "I never knew that. I never paid much attention to the outside of the box. Now I'm glad that I got you to agree to this presentation. My company can only gain from your knowledge."

Sesshoumaru was very pleased with his mate. Kagome has a wonderful mind and he was positive that she will make his company grow from here on.

Sesshoumaru looked at the clock and noticed the time. He finished up his breakfast as he said, "Very well mate, I will have the prototype in my office, just stop by and pick it up on your way out this morning. But be careful, I don't want anything to happen to you."

Sesshoumaru leaned over and kissed her goodbye as he stood and left to go to his office.

Kagome smiled as she watched Sesshoumaru leave the apartment. _'Well that was easy, I was sure he was going to have a fit when I told him that I was going out today. He has been so worried and has protected me so viciously over the last few days that I thought he was going to tell me that I couldn't leave.'_ Kagome shook her head as she cleared her mind. She went and got her cell phone and dialed Sango's number.

She didn't have to wait for long when Sango answered her phone and she said, "Good morning Sango."

"Kagome! I have been thinking about you since the last time I saw you. How are you? Are you all right?" Sango asked in a worried voice.

"Yes Sango I'm fine but I need some help." Kagome stated in a serious tone of voice.

Sango could tell that something was wrong, "You know that I will always help you, so what do you need help with?"

Kagome smiled as she said, "Sango can you come by here this morning? I want to call Ayame and tell her to meet us at the dojo. I need your help with something very important. I'll explain everything once we get to the dojo."

Sango could tell that something was brothering Kagome. She never sounded serious before and hearing her like this was upsetting. "Sure Kagome, but let me call Ayame and then I will be by to pick you up in about 30 minutes."

"Thanks Sango, I'll see you soon." Kagome replied as she then hung up the phone and went to get cleaned up.

Kagome broke all records in getting ready. She packed a gym bag and had everything she needed in it. She grabbed a hooded jacket and looked for her sun glasses. She finally found them as she stuck them in her pocket and went downstairs to Sesshoumaru's office.

It took the elevator no time at all to reach Sesshoumaru's floor, she made sure that her bangs was covering her mark and that Sesshoumaru's scent was a bit more subdued. She walked out and greeted the secretary. "Good morning Neoki is Sesshoumaru in his office?"

Neoki looked up from her work as she answered, "Good morning Kagome-sama, yes, he is in his office. Go right in."

Kagome thanked Neoki as she went towards Sesshoumaru's office. She knocked on his door as she heard a gentle, "come in," opening the door, she stepped into his office. The minute she closed the door behind her, she found herself pinned against it as Sesshoumaru was taking in her scent.

Sesshoumaru could tell that it was Kagome as he told her to enter. But the moment she came into his office he found that his scent was nearly gone from her person. This angered him as he rushed forward and pinned his mate against the door. He checked for his mark and it was still there. Now he was confused as he asked, "Why are you covering up my scent?"

Kagome noticed Sesshoumaru's red eyes as she tried to soothe her mate, "Sesshoumaru you know as well as I do that Youkai can tell that I'm your mate. Since you want to keep our mating a secret until you present me to the Youkai community, I have to hide your scent." Kagome then released her spell as his scent came back full force.

Sesshoumaru finally caught his scent on his mate as it soothed his beast. He growled nuzzling her, while he took in her scent. Once he was satisfied that his scent will stay on her he pulled away from her as he went over to his desk and picked up a bag that was sitting there. He turned toward his mate, saying, "This is a working prototype. Please be careful with it, if my competitors get a hold of this working unit they will be able to duplicate it."

Kagome walked over to her mate as she took the bag from his hand. She looked inside and furrowed her eyebrows together in disappointment. The unit was in a plain brown box and the only thing indicating what was in the box, was the name, "Program Updater."

'_I have a lot of work to do if this is the packaging that he has on his product. This won't appeal to anyone.'_ Kagome sighed as she looked up at her mate. She leaned up and licked his neck, close to where her mating mark was located. She felt Sesshoumaru shiver at her actions as she said, "I have to go. I'll see you later mate."

Kagome then pulled away from her mate but not before she kissed him goodbye. Once their lips parted she turned, putting the unit inside her bag, and left his office. She had a lot to do and she needed to get started. She finally made it to the elevator as she entered and pushed the button for the ground floor.

Kagome cast her concealment spell as all of her markings were hidden and her scent was devoid of Sesshoumaru's scent. When the doors to the elevator opened she found herself face to face with none other than Sango.

They hugged each other as they pulled away and then left Sesshoumaru's building. When they walked outside Sango noticed that Kagome had put on a dark pair of glasses that hid her features well. She had pulled her hood over her head as she was hiding her face.

Sango saw Kagome looking around the area and noticed where she was staring at. There was a group of ningens and Youkai standing across the street as they were taking pictures of the people that were walking in and out of Sesshoumaru's building.

Sango thought this odd as she got closer to Kagome just in case someone decided to attack her. They finally reach Sango's car as they got in and then headed towards the dojo. The dojo she was taking Kagome to was located near Ayame's home. It was in the middle of wolf territory but she knew that they will be safe there.

Kagome noticed right away that Sango was not going towards the dojo that they usually used, "Sango where are we going? You're going the wrong way."

"When I spoke to Ayame this morning she suggested that I bring you to the dojo near her home. She said that it will be safer there. We don't want anything to happen to you, and we will be surrounded by her pack as extra protection, besides, no one knows where the wolf pack lives." Sango stated as she continued to drive down the road.

Kagome understood what Sango was saying. It seemed that everyone was protecting her because she was not strong enough to protect herself. She sighed as she looked out the window of the car as they drove north, toward the mountains that were near.

Ayame was waiting patiently for Sango and Kagome to arrive in her clan's area. They had the guards out and about the area. It was not often that they had the mate of Sesshoumaru in their mist and they had to make sure that Kagome was safe in their home.

Ayame looked up and saw Sango's car coming towards her. She got up as she went to greet her friends.

Sango stopped the car near Ayame, as she got into the back seat. Ayame greeted her friends when Sango took off again going towards the hidden location of the wolf clan.

Ayame noticed right away that something was wrong. Kagome did not have Sesshoumaru's scent on her and she did not have any markings that she could tell. This was weird since the female always sported a mark from their mate.

Ayame instructed Sango where to go as she continued to drive. They were coming to a rock wall as Sango slowed the car, she was about to stop, when Ayame said, "Keep going Sango, drive right through the rock wall."

The car came to a screeching halt, as Sango turned towards Ayame and screamed, "Are you crazy! We will be killed if I drive right into the side of that mountain. We want to protect Kagome not get her killed!"

Ayame huffed as she said, "Do you really think that I would hurt Kagome? It's a barrier and it will open to let you through to our clan area. We will be safe beyond the barrier as it has kept our clan safe for centuries."

Sango was ashamed of herself, for thinking that Ayame would really hurt Kagome. She put the car in drive and continued going forward. When they reached the side of the mountain they went right through the barrier as they continued on their way.

Ayame directed Sango where to go as they saw the city of the wolf Youkai. There were homes built into the side of the mountain as you could see the walkways going around the area. There were guards everywhere as they all were on high alert. They finally got to the place where the dojo was located as Sango parked her car and they all got out.

Once they were standing by the car Ayame hugged each of her friends as she turned and lead them into the dojo. There were doors on the rock walls as Ayame pulled one open and walked inside. She led them down a long hallway as it opened up into a big room. There were mats on the floor and weapons hanging on the wall. Amazingly enough there were lights that lit up the area so they could see. The area was huge as they all walked toward the middle of the room.

Ayame stopped, turning around, stating, "This dojo belongs to me and my pack. We come here to practice with our powers and it's safe. I'd figured that we can train here and not worry about destroying anything."

Ayame noticed when everyone agree with her statement, then she turned to Kagome and asked, "All right Kagome, what is going on? Why don't you have Sesshoumaru's scent on you? Didn't you two mate?"

Kagome sat down in the middle of the floor as the other two followed suit. Kagome then released her spell as her markings came forth, all of her markings.

Sango and Ayame noticed Kagome's markings, they saw the crescent moon on her forehead, which signaled that she was Sesshoumaru's mate. Then they noticed the markings on the back of her hands and she also had another around her neck.

Getting a better look at her neck, they recognized the flower in the middle of the crescent moon that she wore. They saw the same type of flower on the back of her hands as they both bowed deeply to her. Their hands were out in front of them as their forehead touched the back of their hands.

Kagome was surprised by their actions as she said in a shaky voice, "Sango, Ayame, why are you bowing to me?"

Sango was the one to answer her question as she slowly straighten up and said, "You are the supreme earth miko. You rule the earth and all its power. We have been told of your coming but we never expected it to be you. We are your protectors and will protect you with our lives."

Kagome was shocked to hear this as she said, "I don't need protectors, what I need are friends who will help me figure out what to do. I need answers to my questions. Sesshoumaru has tried to tell me but he has a one track mind when it comes to me."

Sango and Ayame saw the tears coming from Kagome's eyes as they both moved closer to her. Bringing her into their arms, they held on to her, as she cried her heart out.

Kagome didn't know what to do. This was all new to her and she didn't know how to handle all of this. She never asked for all of this power and everyone but her knew what these markings meant and what she was capable of. She felt strong arms coming around her as they held on to her. She calmed as she tried to get her composer back.

"I need to know what to expect when Sesshoumaru presents me to the Youkai community. I also want to train to get this new power under control. I have no idea what I'm capable of or how to use it in my defense. I have been constantly attacked ever since I mated Sesshoumaru and I have been a burden to him. I feel like a worthless mate that can't protect herself and I have put him in danger several times by being this way." Kagome stated through heart felt sops.

Sango and Ayame understood what Kagome was saying. They could tell that she was confused and terrified, they will do everything within their power to teach Kagome what she needed to know.

Ayame sat away from Kagome as she started to think about what was going to happen in a few months' time. "Kagome I can tell you how to conduct yourself properly in the royal courts. Then I will introduce you to Yasushi she is an elemental Youkai and has some powers over water and air. She can at least teach you how to harness your powers to help protect yourself. Now will you tell us what happened to you to make you this way?"

Sango and Ayame were listening to what Kagome was saying, as she explained everything that happened to her since she left with Sesshoumaru after the wedding. The surprise could be clearly seen on their faces when Kagome explained that she had to fight a demoness already. Ayame knew that there would be challenges but to have them so soon even before her mating was surprising.

Ayame had her work cut out for her. Kagome was a gentle soul and didn't like violence but now that she was the mate of Sesshoumaru she had to make a stand against all and defeat them in a fight. "All right Kagome it's about time you learn what is expected of you as the Lady of these Lands. I will teach you what you need to know but you must stand up for yourself. You need to act the same way you do when you are angry or else you will never be accepted by the Youkai of these lands. You will have to prove yourself when you are introduced and you will have more challenges for Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru is the most powerful male in all the lands and now that he has taken a mate the female Youkai will be after you. They think that if they can defeat you they can have Sesshoumaru as a mate so you need to learn how to protect yourself."

At that moment they saw Kagome's aura grow with power. Her aura was a vibrant green as they heard Kagome say in a deadly voice, "No one will touch what is mine. No one will take away my mate. I will protect him with my life as he has done for me." When Kagome looked up her eyes were a pure white. They came alive with power as both Sango and Ayame moved away from Kagome.

They feared her and her wrath as Sango stated, "Kagome calm yourself down, this is what you need to do when you are presented to the Youkai of the lands. You must show them all that no one is fit to be Sesshoumaru's mate but you."

Kagome calmed as she heard Sango's words. She was right, she needed to conduct herself accordingly if she wanted to keep her mate. "All right, teach me what I need to know." Kagome spoke calmly as her eyes went back to normal.

Ayame then proceeded to tell Kagome what she needed to know. They spent a couple of hours educating Kagome on court protocol and her rights. What was permitted and what was not. What to do if she got challenged for Sesshoumaru and how to deal with the demoness that will challenge her.

They then started her training as they called Yasushi in to help her. Yasushi was an elemental that lived among the wolves. She was mated to a wolf and therefore a part of their clan. She was a tall and slender Youkai, she had blue hair and bright green eyes. She had two blue stripes on her cheeks and she was taller than Kagome. She carried herself with pride and dignity as she commanded respect.

When Yasushi entered the dojo she had no idea who she was to train. They only told her that they had a female that needed her help. She spotted the group of females in the center of the dojo as she approached.

When she got close enough she noticed the ningen females that were there. One of them was very powerful for a ningen and she had the markings of the royal family to the Lands. She wondered briefly if this female was mated to Sesshoumaru.

Yasushi bowed deeply and asked, "I have come to help with your training. Who is the one that needs my help?"

Ayame stepped forward as she said, "Yasushi, I want you to meet Kagome. She is the one that needs your help."

Yasushi looked up as she looked at the ningen girl in front of her. When she saw her markings she immediately went down to her knees and bowed deeply to her. "Greetings supreme earth miko, how can this humble Yasushi help you?"

Kagome was not used to all of this, she was about to protest her bowing to her when she got a disapproving look from Ayame. She thought twice about what she was going to say, "You may rise Yasushi. I have recently found out that I'm an earth miko. I want to learn more about the powers that I hold and how to use them."

Kagome noticed Ayame's approval of her actions as she sighed in relief. This was not going to be easy for her but she had to start somewhere in learning how to present herself as Sesshoumaru's mate.

Yasushi got up from the ground and looked at the miko. She saw great powers in her as she said, "I don't know if I can help you. Your powers far exceed my own but I will do my best to instruct you."

Kagome agreed as they got started with her training. Yasushi sat down on the ground as Kagome sat in front of her, "Now milady, you are an earth miko do you know what that means?"

Kagome thought about this for a few minutes and then stated, "The only thing I know about earth miko's is that they lived a long time ago. There has been no earth miko's for centuries and we don't have a lot of records about them or their powers."

Yasushi thought for a few minutes as she said, "The earth miko used to roam the earth a long time ago. It was said that they were a blessing sent by the Kami's to keep the earth healthy. They help each other as the miko would heal the earth when it was damaged and the earth let the miko use its power to defeat the evil that was after her.

"There are many types of earth miko's. Some only have command over one element or they can only do one special thing to help the earth. The earth miko's help each other when necessary but there is only one that is supreme.

"The supreme earth miko can use all the elements of the earth as her source of power. You will have command over the land, air, fire, and water. Plus you will be able to command the animals of the forest. They will hear your call and it will be an urge to do your bidding.

"A true supreme earth miko will have power over the most powerful of dragons and they will do her bidding. She is their master and they can never refuse her request. To do so will invite the wrath of the Kami's and no one wants to invoke their anger."

Kagome let Yasushi words sink into her mind as she softly said, "So that's why Ah-Un came to me when I called for help."

Yasushi, upon hearing what the young miko was saying was surprised, "You have used this power before miko-sama?"

Kagome looked up as she said, "Yes I have, though I didn't know how I did it the first time. I was running after my mate, he was going into battle and he left me behind at the shiro. The soldiers were not too happy that Sesshoumaru had mated a ningen and thought that they could kill me. I ran from them but the snow was thick in the forest. I collapsed on the ground and sent out a call with my mind for anything in the area to help me reach my mate. Ah-Un came to my aid and took me to Sesshoumaru. I was later able to summon him again when Sesshoumaru asked me to."

Yasushi was impressed as she said, "Do you remember what you did to summon the dragon?"

Kagome had to think as she said, "All I did was open my mind and called out to Ah-Un. He was at my side in an instant when he heard my call."

Ayame was equally impressed as she asked, "Kagome where is the dragon now?"

Kagome turned her attention to Ayame as she said, "He is staying at the shiro for now. Sesshoumaru said that we didn't have a place for him here in the city and I don't want him to get hurt. He is a young dragon and Sesshoumaru mentioned that he has not reached his maturity yet."

Ayame had a thought as she said, "Kagome, if you want you can call for the dragon, he can stay here with our pack. He will be near if you need him and he will be protected."

Kagome was delighted with this idea as she closed her eyes and concentrated. Her aura grew in power as she started to glow a vibrant green again. _'Ah-Un, please come to me, I have a place where you can stay close to where I'm located and I would love to see you again.'_

-oOo-

Off in the western shiro Ah-Un was laying down on the ground just enjoying the sun. They had a full belly but they were missing their mistress. They wished they could go with her so they could be near. They have sworn to protect her but they couldn't be with her.

Ah-Un sighed as they laid there, then they heard their mistress call to them. They were happy as they got up and roared into the sky, frightening everyone in the area as they took off. They were following their mistress's aura as they flew quickly through the sky.

They were moving faster now as they were getting closer to their goal. Ah-Un were approaching a mountain as they headed down towards the ground. They passed some sort of barrier when they saw their target. Ah-Un roared their greetings as they landed softly on the ground and made their way over to their mistress.

-oOo-

Kagome sat there for a long time as her powers were growing stronger. Then she opened her eyes as she got up and rushed outside of the dojo.

Ayame, Sango, and Yasushi ran after Kagome, wondering what was going on. Kagome was just standing there looking up at the sky. Then they felt a powerful aura coming their way as the wolves that were on guard were sounding the alarm around the area.

Kagome flared her aura even more as she pushed everyone away from her, looking for the dragon. She didn't have to wait for long as a bright light was coming towards her and fast.

In a flash of light the twin headed dragon landed right in front of Kagome as they both greeted their lady by nuzzling her under her chin. They were both happy to see her again.

Kagome giggled as she started to rub each of their necks in greeting. She turned to her friends as she said, "Ayame, Sango, I want you to meet Ah-Un. They were the ones that helped me get to Sesshoumaru when the shiro guards came after me."

Sango and Ayame were amazed at what they saw. They never knew that Kagome could do that. "Kagome, we still need to start your training so why don't we go back inside. The dragon can come too if that is your desire." Ayame stated as she watched her friend with the dragon.

Kagome agreed as she turned and headed right back inside the dojo with the dragon following closely behind her.

Once everyone was back inside the dojo the dragon went to one corner and laid down as they watched to see what their lady was going to do.

Again everyone was seated on the ground as Yasushi turned her attention back to the miko. "You are very powerful to be able to call for this dragon to come to your aid. This is all part of your powers. If you didn't know it before the way you use your powers is by thought. Think about what you want and make it appear like this."

Yasushi raised her hand, palm up, concentrating, she summoned the power of water. A small spire of water appeared in her hand as it went around in a circle. Then she made the water move in all directions, making it look like spikes were coming out of it. She made the water slowly disappeared from her hand as she looked up at Kagome.

Kagome was closely watching what the demoness was doing. She was amazed at the way she had control over her powers. Then she heard her say, "Now I want you to try."

Kagome was nervous, she didn't know if she could do that but she will give it a try. Kagome closed her eyes as she concentrated. A blue ball of water appeared right in front of her as she was holding it up in the air.

Kagome had a perfect picture of the ball of water in her mind, then she decided to experiment with her powers as she was making the water take different shapes. She made a dragon of pure water as it looked like Ah-Un. Then the water whirled again and it became the perfect image of her mate.

Kagome continued with what she was doing when she lost her concentration and the ball of water fell to the floor. She let a feral growl escape her lips as her eyes turned white. Her powers flared around her body, it looked like she was attacking someone but she never hurt the people she was with.

Kagome finally calmed as she closed her eyes for a few minutes and then opened them.

Sango noticed what Kagome did and when she became upset. When she finally calmed she asked, "Kagome, why did you become upset?"

Kagome turned to her friend as she stated, "There was a demoness that thought she could put her hands on my mate. She was casting a subduing spell and a powerful one. Sesshoumaru was fighting it but it's against his nature to hurt a female. I on the other hand have no reservations about harming a female if she thinks that she is going to take my mate. She has learned her lesson for now. I will protect what is mine and I will kill any female that comes near my mate, who thinks that she can take him away from me."

"But Kagome, how did you do that? Only the mate with the mating mark can protect their mate from others." Ayame asked as she looked at her friend.

Kagome signed as she said, "Sesshoumaru bares my mark on his neck. It is a symbol of my protection and love for the only male I will accept. Sesshoumaru is the only male that I want and I'm not going to let any female take him from me."

Everyone now knew that Kagome was serious about protecting her mate. They all turned back to the business at hand, getting Kagome familiar with her powers so she could defend herself at a moment's notice.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru watched as his mate walked out of his office. His mate was full of surprises as he shook his head and went back to signing papers. She was powerful enough to hide his scent, which was almost impossible to do. He knew that it would be hard to hide her from the reporters but with her covering up his scent no one will notice that she was his mate.

When she walked into his office his beast almost came free of his control as he went after her. He thought that she had removed his mark from her neck making his claim null and void. But when he nuzzled her neck he saw that his mark was still there. His beast calmed immediately when he knew that she didn't break their bond.

His mate was more powerful than he ever thought possible. He was worrying about whether to let her go off on her own or not, but with what she just demonstrated to him this morning he knew that she could protect herself.

It was always hard to let go of the one thing that you love, because it was his duty to protect her. Sesshoumaru shook his head as he went back to work, he wanted to make sure he was done when his mate came back home.

A couple of hours have gone by since Kagome left his office. Sesshoumaru was reading contracts when his door burst open. His head snapped up as he looked straight at the person who dared enter his domain without his approval. A vicious snarl left his lips when he saw the demoness who made a verbal claim on his person on national television. He stood and said in a deadly voice, "What do you want Kagura?"

-oOo-

Kagura made up her mind that she was going to see Sesshoumaru. The rumors of him mating were too much for her to handle. Sesshoumaru was supposed to be her mate and they were to be mated. Yes he didn't give her the time of day but she was the most powerful demoness in all the lands. It was her right to mate with him.

She knew that he would be at work today as she got dressed. She pinned her hair up in an elegant bun and put some diamond studded pins in her hair. She applied crimson lip stick on her full lips. She picked the most revealing dress she owned, a little black number with a plunging neckline. It showed off her most perfect assets as she looked in the mirror.

When she thought that she looked presentable she left her apartment and headed toward Sesshoumaru's office. It didn't take her long to get there as she went up to his office.

Kagura walked out of the elevator as she was greeted by his secretary. "I want to see Sesshoumaru." It was a demand not a request as she looked at the pathetic demoness sitting behind the desk.

Neoki looked up from her work as a scowl came to her lips when she heard Kagura's statement, "I'm sorry but Sesshoumaru-sama is not seeing anyone today, come back another day."

That was the wrong thing to say to Kagura as a blast of wind knocked Neoki out and Kagura made her way to Sesshoumaru's office.

She was feeling giddy with anticipation as she threw open the doors and stepped into Sesshoumaru's office. Her arousal spiked as she saw him. He was the most perfect male she has ever seen as she saw his blood red eyes.

Then she heard his question as she said, "I want to know if it's true. Did you take a mate?"

Sesshoumaru snarled, responding, "If I took a mate that is not your concern, now leave before you meet with your demise."

Kagura huffed, walking towards Sesshoumaru swaying her hips seductively, "No I will not leave, I am to be your mate. It is my right since I'm the most powerful female in the lands. You belong to me and we will be mated."

A small smirk came to Sesshoumaru's lips as he stated, "You are not the most powerful female in all the lands. There is another and her powers are more powerful than yours."

"WHO IS SHE! I demand to know who she is so I can kill her! No one will take you away from me. You are my mate and I will not give up my rights to you." Kagura shouted as she squared off with Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru hand reached for the button that was located on the bottom of his desk, as he pressed it, summoning his guards. He raised his hand up, cracking his knuckles, "You will leave my office Kagura. You have no claim over me and who my mate is will have to wait until the presentation."

Kagura did not like this one bit as she started to cast her spell of seduction. This spell has never failed her before and she will get him to mate her before anyone was the wiser.

Sesshoumaru wavered as he started to feel dizzy. His hand went to his forehead as he was trying to fight against the spell that was being cast on him. It was a powerful spell as his beast snarled at being subdued.

Kagura approached Sesshoumaru as she said in a seductive voice, "You belong to me Sesshoumaru and I will not give you up that easily." She reached out with her hand as she went to touch his cheek. She made contact but at the same time something attacked her as she screamed in pain and jumped away from Sesshoumaru.

She looked up in time to see a pink barrier surrounding Sesshoumaru's body as her spell was broken. She looked down at her hand and found that it was almost burned off. "What is the meaning of this? How were you able to break my spell and almost purify me? You don't have that kind of power!"

Sesshoumaru felt his mating mark come to life. It surrounded his body in its warmth as he felt the spell being broken. He felt Kagome's caress on his body as he thought he heard her say, _"Mine."_ Sesshoumaru inwardly smiled as he stood tall and looked at the offending female. His honor will not allow him to kill her but his mate has taken care of her for now.

Now Sesshoumaru laughed at the foolish female as he said, "I don't have that kind of power but my mate does. Her mark protects me from females like you. So you see I have chosen the most powerful female in the lands."

At that moment the guards came rushing into Sesshoumaru's office as they heard him say, "Remove her from my building. She is never to step foot on my property again."

The guards grabbed Kagura as they dragged her out of the office, with her screaming, "THIS IS NOT OVER SESSHOUMARU. I WILL FIND AND KILL THAT BITCH!"

Sesshoumaru huffed as he sat back down and rubbed his forehead. Kagura had cast a powerful spell on him and he almost couldn't break it. His mates mark helped him as it was now soothing his inner beast.

He went back to work hoping to get done soon so he could go home. Sesshoumaru missed Kagome and wanted to be with her.

-oOo-

Kagome fell on her knees as she was finally exhausted. She was breathing hard as she whispered, "I can't fight any more. I'm just too tired."

Then she heard Sango say, "It's about time that you ran out of steam. We didn't think we would be able to keep up with you if you continued to fight."

Kagome looked up from the ground as she looked for Sango. Her eyes opened wide when she noticed that Sango and Ayame were lying on the ground. She looked around the area and noticed that everyone that she was fighting against was on the ground not moving. "Did I do all of this?"

"You are becoming stronger with your new powers Kagome. You defeated everyone here with them." Sango stated as she was slowly sitting up.

Tears formed in Kagome's eyes as she said in a low voice, "I didn't mean to hurt any of you. I'm sorry." Kagome was startled out of her thoughts as she heard Ayame's growls of disappointment.

Ayame upon hearing Kagome's words got angry with her friend, "Stop it Kagome! You are the Lady of these Lands and mate to Sesshoumaru! Act your station!"

Tears were now running down Kagome's cheeks as she got up and ran out of the dojo. Ah-Un who has been watching the whole time took off after her. They raced after their mistress as they saw her going into the forest. They traveled for a long distance until they found her. She was crying as they approached.

Kagome was confused, she didn't think that she could be Sesshoumaru's mate after all. She made a mistake in mating with him. She didn't have the strength of mind or heart to kill anyone in cold blood.

Kagome collapsed on the ground as she continued to cry. She felt when Ah-Un came closer to her as they sat behind her.

Ah-Un hated to see their mistress this way. They knew that she was kind hearted and didn't want to kill anyone. Even when she was attacked before she couldn't bring herself to kill her attacker, that's why they stepped in to help her.

Ah-Un sat down behind her as they curled their body close to hers offering her some comfort and warmth. They got the desired affect as she turned towards them and cried. The dragon started to growl low and steady as it seemed to calm her down. _'Milady, please don't cry. We hate to see you crying.'_

Kagome heard the dragons plea as she said, "I have made a mistake Ah-Un. I should not be Sesshoumaru's mate. I don't have what it takes to be his mate. I just can't kill in cold blood. He needs a mate that will be strong by his side, not someone who is as weak as I am."

Ah nudged Kagome with his head as he got her to look at him. He saw the hurt in her eyes as he said to her, _'Milady, will you let someone else be his mate? Will you not protect him if he was in danger? Will you not help me if I was being attacked?'_

Kagome's eyes opened wide as she said, "You know that I will help and protect you if you were in trouble. I will protect Sesshoumaru with my life but I'm not strong enough to be his mate."

'_Then you have your answer milady. You help all those in need. You protect all those that need protecting. You don't have to kill anyone to care. That is what being Sesshoumaru's mate is all about. You will help him rule with a gentle fist. Show him how to be a good leader for all of his people and protect everyone who needs protecting. _

'_There will always be those that you will have to kill no matter how hard you try not to. There will be the evil that must be vanquished, and you will be the only one that can do it. _

'_What the wolf demoness was trying to teach you is how to battle those Youkai and survive the battle. You protected those around you because you didn't use your powers to their full potential, so you do have control over them. But there will come a time when you must use those powers to protect that which you hold dear and you must be ready to kill if that is what it takes. _

'_I know for a fact that if someone was trying to kill your pup you would not hesitate to kill them. When your heart protects it will do anything to make sure they stay safe. So for now take to heart what they are trying to teach you and learn to battle. This way you will not have to kill them just hurt them a little to get them to see your intentions.'_

Kagome listened to what Ah was telling her. He did have a point in everything he was saying. She didn't have to give up who she was, she needed to learn how to fight and be strong when the time comes. If she learned this then maybe she will be a good mate to her Sesshoumaru.

Kagome leaned into Ah-Un as she said, "You're right, I don't have to change who I am in order to be Sesshoumaru's mate. I will learn what they have to teach me and I will be ready when this presentation happens. I can never kill out right but if I have to I will to protect those with me and the ones I love."

Ah-Un growled gently as he heard her statement. They have finally gotten through that thick head of hers what they have been trying to teach her. She doesn't have to change who she is, but she does have to learn how to fight if she has to. They have no doubt that she will have to fight when the presentation happens, it will be the only way the other female Youkai of the lands will respect her as Sesshoumaru's mate.

They stayed in the forest for a little while longer when Kagome pulled away from the dragon's heat and said, "I guess we should go back. I have something else that I have to do today and it's getting late."

The dragon agreed as they both headed back to where her friends were nervously waiting for them.

Sango and Ayame were waiting for Kagome to come back. They knew that she was upset and needed some time alone. Maybe they did push her a little too hard but they had to make sure that she was ready to fight against anything that came her way.

Ayame stopped her relentless pacing as she heard someone approaching. She turned towards the forest as she saw Kagome and the dragon coming their way. She breathed a sigh of relief, as she ran towards Kagome and when she reached her she kneeled in front of her, "Milady, I'm sorry, can you ever forgive me?"

Kagome looked at her friend as she said, "There is nothing to forgive Ayame. You can never change who I am, but I can learn how to protect those which mean the world to me and help Sesshoumaru rule these lands. Maybe, just maybe, I'm not that worthless after all."

Ayame rose up as she looked at her friend. _'Kagome has changed since she has mated Sesshoumaru. She has a lot more power than she did before and she is beginning to carry herself as a proper lady to these lands.' _

Then Ayame heard Kagome say, "Come on, we have to go and meet Miroku and Koga. We have to make sure that we are on track with the marketing presentation and we have to come up with a good name for the product, plus something for the box."

Kagome then turned to Ah-Un as she said, "But before I leave I will give you an area where you will have plenty of food. I want you to stay here. You are close to the city if I need your help and I will be back in the morning to see you."

The dragon agreed to her request as they saw her bend down as her hand touched the ground. Kagome's aura started to glow green as she feed the earth some of her energy, the snow was starting to melt as nice green grass started to grow in the area for the dragon to eat.

Then Kagome did something that was totally unexpected, she stood as her aura changed color. It became white as the area around her feet was starting to glow. Flowers were starting to grow where her aura was touching the earth. Soon, there was a small patch of moon flowers in the area as she turned to Ayame and said, "This is a gift from me to your clan. These are my flowers, as long as I rule with Sesshoumaru these flower will bloom no matter what. It will protect your village from harm and it's my way of saying thank you for all your help."

Ayame fell to her knees. She never expected such a high honor from Kagome. "We thank you milady for this honor. We will honor your gift for as long as they are part of our lands."

The wolves who were around the area looked on in awe as they saw the flowers that grew in the middle of winter. They were giant moon flowers as the elders of the clan came forth to look at the flowers.

They all kneeled as one as the eldest wolf spoke, "Milady, we of the wolf demon clan wish to offer you our support and protection. You honor our home with your presence and you have gifted us with the ultimate gift. We have heard of these flowers from a time long ago. It was given to the ones that the Lady of the Lands thought highly of and you honor us with your flowers. We will protect them as we will protect you for as long as the wolf clan exists."

Kagome was stunned by his words but she maintained control as she brought forth that side of her that these people wanted to see in the mate of Sesshoumaru. "I accept your pledge and will honor your protection. Members of your clan now protect me with their lives and I wanted to return the honor. They are always with me so it's a constant reminder of the bond that I hold with the wolf clan. Please, all of you… rise."

The elders of the clan were honored by her words as they bowed deeply once more before they all got up. Kagome then turned her attention to Ayame and Sango as she said, "We have to leave. We have a long trip back to the city and the sooner we get back the sooner we can get down to business. We have to check on that presentation and see where we are with it."

Ayame and Sango agreed as they went back to the dojo and got their things, they then piled into the car. Sango drove out of the wolf clan's area as she headed back to the city.

Ayame turned around to talk to Kagome when she noticed that she had fallen asleep in the back seat. She turned her eyes toward Sango and said, "Kagome's asleep. She must be really tired from all the training. We will have to make sure that we don't push her as much tomorrow when we train again."

"Yes you're right. It's going to take time for her to get used to her powers and how to use it correctly so that she doesn't get exhausted. But we will have to wake her up once we get to her apartment. She doesn't have her marks concealed and I know that Sesshoumaru's scent is still on her." Sango stated as they continued driving down the road.

They finally arrived at Kagome's apartment as Sango pulled into Kagome's parking space. Even though Kagome didn't own a car she still had a parking stall for her apartment.

Ayame reached back to see if she could shake Kagome awake but found that she couldn't touch her. There was a barrier that was protecting her. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Sango noticed the face she was making, "Ayame what's wrong?"

"Kagome has a barrier around her body and I can't touch her." Ayame said with confusion in her voice, she then turned back to Kagome as she said, "Kagome? Kagome, we are at your apartment and you have to wake up."

Both Sango and Ayame watched to see if Kagome would wake but she was still asleep. Sango turned to Ayame and said, "Here let me try. I might be able to get through her barrier." Sango reached out and was able to touch Kagome as she shook her friend awake.

Kagome, feeling that someone was shaking her, opened her eyes as she gave a big yawn and sat up in her seat. She noticed the looks she was getting as she asked, "Why are you both looking at me like that?"

Sango and Ayame both looked at each other as they turned their attention back to Kagome, while Sango said, "Kagome, you fell asleep in the back seat, when Ayame tried to wake you she couldn't touch you. She then tried to call to you but you didn't respond. I decided to try and touch you, I was able to get through your barrier to shake you awake. Why?"

Kagome was confused about what Sango told her. She had no idea that she put up a barrier. "I have no idea, I was unaware that I put up a barrier to prevent you from touching me. But what I don't understand is why Sango was able to touch me and not Ayame."

The car was silent for a while as Sango got an idea and said, "You know Kagome, you told us that you have been attacked constantly by Youkai since you have been mated to Sesshoumaru so maybe you subconsciously put up a barrier that won't let a Youkai touch you but will let a ningen have access."

That theory seemed to fit as Kagome said, "Well that could be true but right now I have a headache, let's go upstairs and let me take an aspirin before Koga and Miroku get here." They all agreed as they got out of the car and went upstairs to Kagome's apartment.

Sango and Ayame noticed right away that Kagome's markings were gone and Ayame noticed that Sesshoumaru's scent was gone from Kagome's body. It was all done in a blink of an eye as they finally reached Kagome's apartment.

Kagome opened the door and let everyone into her apartment. She put her things on the table in the hallway, as she walked into the kitchen. She went to the cabinet that had the aspirin stored in it and took two. Once this was done she led everyone to the spare bedroom that Kagome converted into an office.

The room was large as Kagome had several desks set up inside with all manner of computer equipment and printers. There was a big flat screen television up on the wall that was connected to one of the many computers in the office.

This was Ayame's domain as she went around turning on all the equipment so it will be ready. Kagome got her portfolio as she got started getting her things together, she sat down at her desk and then started with her friends on their parts of the presentation.

They were pouring over the design for the box as they were putting the final finishing touches on Ayame's computer. They came up with a red color box with black lines around the boarder. They had a safe on the cover with the door slightly ajar. Coming out of the opening there were ones and zeros, dulled in appearance, spilling out of it. A small machine gathered them up and then reformed them into shiny new ones and zeros while putting them back in another safe. Sango came up with a new product name as she said, "How about we call it Code Cracker! Or CC for short."

Kagome liked that idea as they made the final finishing touches on the designs. When they were done they printed out the design to see how it would look. Kagome had a box about the same size as the one that the prototype came in, they covered the box to see how it would look.

The girls were happy with the finished product. They made plans to see if the design will attract the customer's attention to the box. They were going to go to the mall the following day and hit one of the most popular electronic stores there. They will walk around with the box to see how much attention they will attract. This was the fastest way to determine if the design was eye catching, plus they will start to get the public interested in the product before it went out on the market.

After a couple of hours Miroku and Koga finally arrived at Kagome's apartment. Their meeting got into full swing as both males brought forth their ideas on their portion of the presentation. They all worked on the presentation as it was all coming together.

Kagome was feeling very tired. Her eyes were starting to close as she tried to keep up with what was happening with the presentation. At one point Sango slapped Miroku for his wondering hands as everyone was laughing.

Ayame was chuckling at Sango for being angry with Miroku, he was taking liberties with her rear end as she turned towards Kagome. She noticed that Kagome was asleep as she signaled everyone in the room to be quiet.

"We better take Kagome home. We can't take the chance of leaving her here and something happening to her. Sesshoumaru will come after us if he even thought that we left his mate unprotected." Ayame stated as they all looked at Kagome.

"I agree but I don't want to wake her if we don't have too. She has been through enough today and she really needs her rest." Sango said as Ayame walked over to Kagome and tried to touch her. This time there was no barrier to stop her as she moved the hair away from Kagome's face. She seemed to be in a deep sleep and will not wake up anytime soon.

"Ok there is no barrier around her body. Let me go and get a blanket from the bedroom and we can wrap her up in it. Miroku do you have any of your talisman with you, so we can hide her markings and Sesshoumaru's scent on her?" Ayame asked as she stepped away from Kagome.

Miroku put his hand into his shirt pocket and pulled out a talisman. He started his spell as it glowed brightly in his hands. He was about to put it on Kagome chest when Sango said, "Oh no lecher, let me put the talisman on her chest, I don't trust you."

"I'm so misunderstood," Miroku stated as he gave the talisman to Sango. Sango then placed the talisman on Kagome's chest as they saw her markings going away. Ayame and Koga confirmed that Kagome's scent was back to normal.

Koga moved forward as he picked Kagome up in his arms. He gently lifted her as Ayame carefully wrapped her in a warm blanket. When they were done making sure that no one could see Kagome they turned everything off as they left Kagome's apartment and headed towards Sesshoumaru's home.

They were all wondering how they were going to tell Sesshoumaru what happened to his mate when he saw that she was deeply asleep. They arrived at Sesshoumaru's building in a few short minutes. They quickly made their way into the building, with Miroku in the front, and Sango and Ayame on either side of Koga.

They knew they had to take Kagome to Sesshoumaru so they went upstairs to his office. They all exited the elevator as they approached the secretary that was there. Ayame approached her as she said, "Excuse me but we need to see Lord Sesshoumaru about his mate."

Neoki heard her words and thought it best to contact Sesshoumaru about this. If they did have information about his mate and she didn't tell him about it, it will be her demise. She reached for the button on her desk as she pressed it and said, "Excuse me for disturbing you Sesshoumaru-sama but there are two ningens and two Youkai out here asking to see you, something about your mate."

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. As you can see there is one female that is determined to have Sesshoumaru for herself. Kagura doesn't care who she has to kill in order to get him.

We have not seen the end of Jaken. He has made the biggest mistake in his life in attacking Kagome in her sleep. But he will show his true colors in a later chapter.

In the next chapter Rin will come into the picture, Sesshoumaru's life is about to get complicated, and Kagome will have to make some life changing decisions if she wants to stay by her mates side.

Until the next time

Jani!


End file.
